Baek Ji-hwan's office occupied the entire top floor of the Baek Group headquarters, a sprawling expanse of glass and marble that offered panoramic views of Seoul's financial district. From here, he could look down on the city below—on the buildings his family owned, on the companies they controlled, on the empire that had been built over three generations of ruthless ambition.
He sat in his leather chair, a glass of thirty-year-old Scotch cradled in his hand, the amber liquid catching the afternoon light. On the massive screen mounted to the wall, financial data scrolled in real time—investment returns, venture capital influx, subsidiary profits. The numbers were impressive, even by his standards, and they were growing.
"Another quarter, another record." Baek Ji-hwan observed, taking a slow sip of his drink. "The AI subsidiary alone has attracted three new major investors this month. Everyone wants a piece of the future."
