I am a literary giant in Japan

Chapter 306: 7 million won to buy the Korean publishing rights of "Remembrance of Things Past".

How closed and backward are the Korean publishing and literary circles?

The answer is that they are so backward and closed that when you use a certain search engine next door to Baidu to look for world-class Korean writers in 2024, the only one that pops up is Han Jiang, a female writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024.

Going further back, you can't even find any information about the Korean publishing and literary circles.

In the entire Asian cultural circle, anyone who has a little knowledge of literature knows about Chinese literature and Japanese literature, and may even have come into contact with some Thai literature and Indian literature.

There are always a few people in the literary circles of these countries who can leave their names in the world literary arena.

The only exception is South Korea, which is also dominated by chaebols. From ancient times to the present, there has not been any writer who can leave the slightest trace in the history of world literature.

When the Asian financial crisis hit in 97, South Korea was the first country to be completely defeated and fall without dignity.

Affected by the economic situation, the performance of Korea Literature Village Publishing Group has been getting worse and worse.

The domestic literary scene was once again in a state of dryness, which made Chen Juncan, who was already living on the brink of life and death, extremely anxious.

Fortunately, thanks to Choi Young-sil's "reminder", he finally found a way out of the fog!

Kitagawa Show!

The name of this Japanese writer jumps out of the page.

A quick search on the computer will yield a lot of information related to him——

At only 25 years old, he became a leading figure in Japanese literature;
The 1995 novel No Longer Human, a rogue-style novel, has sold over 800 million copies in Japan.

In 1996, he won the Prix Goncourt in Paris, France, becoming the first Asian writer to win the award.

The most important thing is that he has been nominated for this year's Nobel Prize in Literature. Even if he does not win the prize, this is enough to cause a sensation.

Koreans have two deep-rooted personalities:

First, I like to steal.

As long as it is something good from others, they will try their best to steal it and make it their own.

Second, the ultimate admiration for strength.

After the division of North and South Korea, South Korea and the North took completely different paths.

They learned Western thinking, used plutocracy to control politicians, and used money to get everything done.

Japan was once very powerful, and their chaebols learned the ideas of Japanese companies and built themselves into Korean chaebols.

Later, when the United States became aloof, they immediately began to lick its laurels, not minding at all that the other side had troops stationed in their country.

this country.

From the heads of chaebols to the stars of girl groups, everyone is extremely envious of the strong.

Chen Juncan discovered that this teacher Beichuan not only had strong literary skills, but was also writing a novel with a Western background.

"Remembrance of Things Past" and "One Hundred Years of Solitude".

Doesn’t this hit the mark of Korean readers?

The more Chen Juncan thought about it, the more he felt that purchasing the copyright of Kitagawa Hide's novel was feasible, so he immediately stood up and prepared to contact his old classmate who was working in France and ask him to bring over a copy of "Remembrance of Things Past".

When the colleagues around saw Chen Juncan, who had just been ridiculed by Cui Yingshi and was still in a depressed state, suddenly stood up and left, they began to talk about it in a low voice.

"Isn't it time to get off work yet? Isn't Juncan really afraid that General Manager Xue will find a reason to fire him?"

"What are you still worried about? The new book he just wrote directly caused the company to lose 70 million. Even if he doesn't find an excuse, I guess we won't see him next month. He should just give up and go drink."

"Hey, who told him to be a toad wanting to eat swan meat? Is Ying Shixi someone he can pursue?"

Chen Juncan left quickly without paying any attention to the rumors from his colleagues.

This is how the Korean workplace is. Internal struggles and suppression can force ordinary people to commit suicide by jumping off a building.

If you don't even have the courage to withstand these rumors, you won't be able to survive in Seoul.

After returning home, Chen Juncan quickly contacted several old classmates who were working in France, and then used his personal computer to find some fragments of information about Kitagawa Hide's novel.

Although they were just small clips, they amazed him and he was completely addicted to them.

Most importantly, those old classmates who worked in France all had high opinions of Kitagawa Hide.

This Japanese writer's reputation overseas, especially in the Western literary world, seems to be better than he imagined!

That night.

An old classmate sent him the online version of the English translation of "Remembrance of Things Past".

Chen Juncan stayed at home, without even eating, and started watching the show with fascination.

Before he knew it, daybreak had already arrived when he had finished reading the latest chapter of the novel.

"I actually read novels all night long." Chen Juncan looked at the blurry computer screen, rubbed his eyes, and glanced at the time in the lower right corner in disbelief.

how many years.

Since he started working, he didn’t know how long it had been since he finished a book properly, even though he used to love reading.

Not to mention being completely engrossed in a book and reading it all night long like this!

"Just this one book can definitely save the company's performance in the literary market!"

Chen Juncan suddenly felt that it was really stupid to spend 70 million won to buy the new book of the professor at Seoul University!

Compared with Kitagawa Hide's novel, the professor's book is simply disgusting.

He immediately rushed into the bathroom to wash his face. After he regained consciousness, he grabbed a piece of bread and rushed back to the company!

After one hour.

The headquarters of Korea Literature Village Publishing Group.

Special Affairs Office.

Han Shangzhe carefully looked at the acquisition plan handed over by Chen Juncan, then slowly put it on the table and closed his eyes to think.

"Manager Han! Please believe me! As long as we buy the copyright of "Remembrance of Things Past", the company's performance pressure will be instantly relieved!

Although I haven't read "One Hundred Years of Solitude" yet, I believe that the book must be of extremely high quality!
Now, the matter between you and General Manager Xue."

Having said that, Chen Juncan wisely shut up.

He was really in a hurry.

Based on his previous performance, the company would most likely not be willing to allocate too much money to him, but Kitagawa Hide is so famous in Japan that without 10 billion won, the other party probably wouldn't even look at it.

There was no hope for Executive Director Xue, so he could only take a risk and find Executive Director Han, hoping that Executive Director Xue's mortal enemy could help him!
"You just said that this Beichuan or something was shortlisted for this year's Nobel Prize in Literature?"

Han Shangzhe opened his eyes and confirmed again.

Chen Juncan was slightly stunned, realizing that his "heartfelt words" were probably not heard by the other party at all. Sure enough, this kind of substantial honor is the most touching.

"Yes! He also won the Goncourt Prize last year, which is the same as the Nobel Prize."

"I see." Han Shangzhe took a deep breath and glanced at him, "Juncan. Do you know that the company's current financial situation is very tight?"

"Yes"

“So, you said you want to spend 10 billion won to buy the copyright of such a book for five to ten years, which is definitely impossible.

However, since you said so, it is no problem for me to ask the Finance Department to temporarily transfer 7 million won to you in the name of the general manager.

But if the book doesn’t do well after it’s released, then you’ll…”

Han Shangzhe didn't continue.

Chen Juncan is also a key figure of the company. According to past practice, such old employees will be supported until retirement.

But if something goes wrong again this time, then let alone supporting him until retirement, these 7 million won will be Chen Juncan’s final “buyout price” in the Korean publishing industry!

"Yes! I get it! This book will not disappoint you!"

Chen Juncan also burned his boats.

He felt that if he continued like this, it was only a matter of time before he was fired and kicked out of the entire Korean publishing industry.

Might as well take a gamble!

Han Shangzhe's words sound nice, but in fact he has been very distressed recently and needs such performance to compete with General Manager Xue.

7 million Korean won (equivalent to about 1 million yen in Japanese yen, equivalent to about 1000 million RMB) was a huge sum of money in South Korea in 1997.

If the other party had not had the honor of being shortlisted for the Nobel Prize in Literature, Han Shangzhe would never have dared to gamble!

After selling all her shares into the market, Shizuko Kawaide simply took a vacation.

The big boss suddenly sold all his shares, the thriving company had a serious financial deficit, and the Kawai family fell into a financial crisis due to failed financial investments.
Not long after she left the company, rumors started flying around from nowhere.

This is the Japanese family business.

Whenever your family is in trouble, there are always people who are plotting against you behind the scenes.

This is also the drawback of Japanese chaebols - although the model of taking turns to be the banker has become more sustainable by relying on the alliance of many families, it is not as deterrent as the Korean chaebols where one family has the final say.

If there is still a chance, Shizuko Kawaide is ready to take all the family power into her own hands and make the Kawaide Group hers alone.

This kind of Japanese family chaebol model is indeed good in peacetime, but in such turbulent and chaotic times, it will only lead to the decline of the family!
However, it backfired.

The July 1997 issue of "Wenyi" had been on sale for less than a week, and Shizuko Kawaide, who had just left the company and taken a vacation, had been gone for only three days when the board of directors urgently called her back from the Kyoto resort!
"Teacher Beichuan, did you take back all my shares?"

When Shizuko Kawaide received the news, her head was full of question marks.

She was still confused until she got into the car driven by driver Kinoshita and sped towards the company.

If the company's 300 billion yen hole is not filled, the fiscal deficit will not even be able to cover the interest on bank loans, and overseas expansion plans will be forced to stop.

Everything she had worked hard for almost seven years would be gone.

but now.

The news that came out of nowhere told her that the shares had been taken back and the hole of 300 billion yen had been filled.

Shizuko Kawaide still hasn't figured out how Hide Kitagawa did all this.

Anyway, I learned from Saito Reina's phone call that Kitagawa Hide, who originally held 3% of the company's shares, has now transformed himself into the second largest shareholder with 35% of the shares.

The largest shareholder is the Kawaide family, which holds 52% of the company's shares.

When Hide Kitagawa got 3% of the shares, these shares were worth 20 billion yen, and the annual dividend was almost 1 million yen.

Now the share price of Kawaide Shobo is rising steadily, 3% of the shares are worth about 33 billion yen, and 35% of the shares are worth about 385 billion yen.

Holding more than 34% of a company's shares is equivalent to having secure control over the company and having a veto over major company matters.

So where did Mr. Kitagawa get so much money?
Shizuko Kawaide was in a mess in the car.

But now, there are more important things that need her to take care of.

Also today, South Korea's well-known publishing house, Munhwachon Publishing Group, extended an invitation to Kawaide Shobo for cross-border cooperation.

They hope to buy the Korean publishing rights of "Remembrance of Things Past" for 7 million won over five years, and promise to give 15% of the sales profits to Kawai Books.

One of Shizuko Kawaide's overseas expansion plans is to allow Hide Kitagawa's books to enter the Asian literary market.

Unfortunately, the Asian literary market has been deeply invaded by Western culture, and neighboring China and South Korea are not very willing to accept Japanese pure literature.

On the contrary, Europe, the United States and Latin America have made major breakthroughs time and time again.

If the Korean literary market can be taken over because of "Remembrance of Things Past", it would be a blessing in disguise!

After calming down, Shizuko Kawaide came to the company and turned into the high-spirited boss again.

Kitagawa Hide, who was far away in Hamburg, Germany, had no idea that he would become the nominal largest individual shareholder of Kawaide Shobo when he woke up one day.

He argued with Jabami Rei for several days, and finally got her to reluctantly tell him many stories about her past love affairs in high school.

The character of "Mu Yue" in "Norwegian Wood" has finally been fleshed out.

After the most difficult piece of the puzzle of the entire novel was connected, Kitagawa Hide was finally able to free up his hands to write a new book.

Just as he sat down at the typewriter, ready to type out the "long-planned" opening, Mengzi suddenly knocked on the door and walked in.

"Dear~ There's a letter from Bogota!"

Mengzi raised the envelope in her hand. The sender was Professor Hernando from the National University of Colombia. In addition to the letterhead, there was also a brand new book "A Century of Appreciation of Latin American Literature" along with the letter.

“——I would like to dedicate this book to Mr. Kitagawa, who wrote the great work One Hundred Years of Solitude.

Teacher Kitagawa is a beacon in the modern history of Latin American literature. It is he who illuminates the century-long course and development of Latin American literature.

Reading "One Hundred Years of Solitude" is like reading the cultural history of Latin American countries.

This is a masterpiece that deserves to be recorded in history!"

Yumeko was specifically responsible for helping Hide Kitagawa handle various letters from readers and industry insiders. Generally, she would reply directly in the name of Mrs. Kitagawa, and many people also acquiesced in Kitagawa's creative lifestyle.

Mengzi rarely ran to Kitagawa Hide so excitedly to read a letter, which shows how much damage this letter did to her.

"A Century of Latin American Literature Appreciation was released in Bogota and other places in the middle of the month. As soon as it was released, more than 100,000 copies were sold on the first day. In one week, 300,000 copies were sold in the capital Bogota alone. This is very rare in the history of Colombian magazines."

Mengzi read Hernando's letter word by word, and sighed sincerely,

"This is a new magazine. Even in Japan, it's hard to have such high sales. Honey, your One Hundred Years of Solitude is really going to be a big hit in Colombia now!"

"After the novel is finished, it should be able to cause another wave of popularity." Kitagawa Hide nodded with a smile, "I won't be surprised at what kind of results One Hundred Years of Solitude can achieve."

(End of this chapter)