Chapter 16: Manager Kim Jang-bung, the company next door even makes emoticons. What do you do?

Manager Park waved at Jangbung.

“Mr. Jangbung.”

“Yes, Manager Park.”

“I pressed print, but it doesn’t seem to be working. I think the printer paper is jammed again.”

Jangbung nodded.

“Of course.”

Manager Park tilted her head.

“?”

Jangbung sighed.

“Oh, I’ll go and fix it.”

“Please hurry up. We have a meeting right now.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Please fill in the blank paper too.”

Jangbung muttered.

“Yes.”

Manager Park stood up.

“Because I’m late. I’ll leave the document on my computer and go, so when I’m done fixing it, print it out and bring it to me. I’ll go in first.”

“Yes, you go in first.”

In the meeting room, Manager Choi smirked.

“Late again~ Manager Kim!”

Manager Park chimed in.

“Oh my, Mr. Jangbung, hurry up~”

Jangbung bowed his head.

“I’m sorry.”

He cleared his throat.

“That’s why I think we need a major overhaul of our website for the future of our company.”

Manager Choi raised an eyebrow.

“Manager Kim Jangbung, even if the company is in a crisis, isn’t that too much of a stretch?”

Manager Kim added.

“Of course, Manager Kim, is there a need to change a website that has been working well for 10 years?”

Jangbung leaned forward.

“Manager, Manager. In our current situation, I believe a website revamp is the best way to showcase our company’s strengths, unlike our competitors who boast a lot of financial resources.”

Manager Kim tilted his head.

“Strengths?”

Jangbung explained.

“After closely examining our competitors’ platforms, we found that they’ve ultimately focused on selecting best-sellers based on number of views and a bias toward specific genres.”

Manager Choi frowned.

“Isn’t that the same for us?”

Jangbung shook his head.

“We have a history spanning over a decade, something our competitors don’t. I think it would be more reader-friendly if we could increase accessibility by recommending works based on preferences, such as award-winning works and reader favorites accumulated over the past decade.”

Manager Kim nodded.

“That’s a good idea, but…”

Manager Choi interjected.

“If we follow Manager Kim’s plan, a major overhaul is needed, and isn’t that too expensive?”

Jangbung countered.

“It’s not cheap, but I think it’s the most cost-effective.”

Manager Park added.

“Executives are often complaining about the excessive spending on contests and various events these days.”

Jangbung nodded.

“Yes, Manager Choi. But thanks to it, the outflow of male readers in their 30s and 40s has decreased significantly.”

Manager Kim sighed.

“Well, that’s a relief…”

He paused.

“So what?”

Jangbung turned.

“Yes, Manager Kim.”

Manager Kim leaned forward.

“It’s not like we can spend lavishly like our competitors, and if we just sit back and do nothing, we’ll just keep losing customers, so we have to do something. Manager Kim Jangbung’s previous suggestion was good too. Just go ahead and do it!”

Jangbung’s eyes lit up.

“Yes!!! I’ll try my best!”

Manager Choi cautioned.

“But even if the website is built by an outsourcing company, we have to figure out how to make it.”

Jangbung nodded.

“Yes. That’s with Manager Choi and…”

Manager Park cut in.

“Manager Kim. I may be young, but shouldn’t young people take the lead in things like this?”

Jangbung hesitated.

“Um, then with Manager Park and…”

Manager Park gasped.

“Me? Mr. Jangbung, I don’t know about you because you’re obsessed with male-oriented writers, but I’m always so busy.”

Jangbung frowned.

“But I don’t think I can do this alone.”

Manager Kim smirked.

“Hmm, usually the first person to bring something up takes the lead in these things.”

Jangbung blinked.

“Manager?”

Manager Kim continued.

“Manager Kim Jangbung isn’t telling me to do everything. If you come up with an idea and submit a proposal, I’ll review it, so Manager Kim Jangbung, take the lead.”

Jangbung protested.

“But!”

Manager Kim raised an eyebrow.

“Can you do it?”

Jangbung sighed.

“Yes, I will. Manager.”

Manager Park clapped.

“Oh my, Manager Kim is finally going to work hard after a long time?”

Manager Choi smirked.

“Mr. Jangbung, work hard~”

Jangbung nodded.

“Yes, I will work hard.”

Manager Park waved as she left.

“I’m going to go home. Mr. Jangbung, are you working overtime today?”

“Yes. I have something to plan for the website.”

“Do your best~”

Tap tap tap

Manager Choi called out.

“I’m going home.”

Jangbung replied.

“Go in first.”

“Manager Kim, are you working overtime today too?”

Jangbung sighed.

“Yes.”

Tap tap tap

Manager Kim held up a document.

“Manager Kim Jangbung, what kind of plan is this?”

Jangbung bowed his head.

“I’m sorry, Manager. I’ll upload it again.”

“I’m going to go home because of a weekend engagement. Upload it again so I can see it as soon as I get to work on Monday morning!”

Jangbung nodded.

“Yes.”

Tap tap tap

Toot toot

“This is the last train~ Passengers, please board without fail.”

Manager Kim shouted.

“Kim Jangbung! The competing company introduced emoticons, and what are you doing?”

Jangbung blinked.

“Huh?”

“They’re making money with an emoticon business, and you, a young guy, can’t come up with ideas like that?”

Jangbung tried to explain.

“With emoticons, we lack popular IPs lately, and we’d need to introduce an additional payment system…”

Manager Kim cut him off.

“Who’s asking for your excuses?”

Manager Park nodded.

“That’s right, Kim. You’re always coming up with plans that spend money. You should’ve come up with productive ideas to generate revenue.”

Manager Choi added.

“Jangbung-ssi, aren’t you too eager to spend money?”

Jangbung lowered his head.

“I’m sorry. I’ll contact the vendor.”

Manager Kim waved a hand.

“Forget it. The new homepage launches the day after tomorrow. You think they’ll change it without extra payment?”

Jangbung hesitated.

“Still…”

Manager Kim sighed.

“Let’s just chalk it up to a lack of ideas. If the higher-ups bring it up, I’ll say my subordinate was a bit lacking.”

Jangbung nodded.

“Yes, I understand.”

Manager Park leaned over.

“Kim, are you taking leave tomorrow?”

Jangbung blinked.

“Huh?”

Manager Park pouted.

“Jangbung-ssi, don’t be like that. I haven’t finished compiling the Topples Bellso launch data because of that work.”

Jangbung frowned.

“Isn’t that your job, Manager Park?”

Manager Park sighed.

“Ha~, Jangbung-ssi. I’ve been struggling alone with Bellso work while you’re off doing other things like the homepage. Don’t be so cold.”

“I haven’t exactly been slacking off…”

Manager Choi chimed in.

“Kim~, there’s no such thing as your work or my work. We help each other out when things are tough. Just help out until it’s done today.”

Jangbung sighed.

“Yes, Manager.”

Manager Park smiled.

“Jangbung-ssi~ I’ll send the data right away, so if you don’t want to take work calls tomorrow, finish it tonight with overtime.”

Jangbung muttered.

“Yes.”