I put two geniuses to work.
Chun Min-jung developed the app, and Manager Lee Seok-jun created the external device —
both finished in less than a month.
The taxi-hailing system created by geniuses.
Now, all I had to do was use it well.
Of course, I wasn't going to do it myself — Captain Kang would act on my behalf.
"How's the taxi company running?"
"Don't even mention it. That Seoul branch chief is a truly awful man. I've been around Myeongdong, but he's worse than a loan shark. He comes around demanding union bribes, development funds, forcing us to use the call service. Even day laborers don't get visited this often."
Captain Kang spoke with flushed face and fiery passion.
If someone like him, who's been through every kind of battle including aerial combat, is sick of it, then it's clear how ruthless Seoul branch chief Cha Bong-hoon really is.
"You must have collected solid info on Cha Bong-hoon."
"We've gathered enough evidence to send him to prison for at least three years right now —
violations of labor laws, embezzlement, breach of trust, and more. Our staff even got jobs at taxi companies under him to gather info from the inside."
Kang's team was so good at digging up dirt they even snatched info on some notoriously sly
politicians.
Getting intel on the Seoul Taxi Union branch chief was no big deal for them. Perhaps because Cha Bong-hoon saw his kingdom as an impregnable fortress, he committed illegal acts with blatant disregard.
"We've collected enough data, so it's time to move to the next step. Do you use KakaoTalk?"
"We've registered all employees in a group chat. It's very useful for clocking in/out reports and issuing instructions."
"So all your staff use smartphones?"
"Many prefer lightweight feature phones since their work is physical, but I made sure everyone actively uses smartphones."
"That's encouragement, not coercion or threats, right?"
"Well, it's kind of similar. At first, the employees found the smartphones heavy and bulky, but now their satisfaction is very high."
Captain Kang's company had a higher smartphone adoption rate than even Taewoo Group.
That's why they fully understood the usefulness of KakaoTalk, a must-have smartphone app.
"We're going to launch a service that allows taxi hailing through KakaoTalk. And your company will be selected as the intermediary."
"If you can call a taxi by just pressing a few buttons without making a phone call, a lot of people will use it."
"For that to happen, many taxi drivers need to register for the KakaoTalk taxi service. We need to do sales targeting taxi companies and individual taxi drivers in Seoul, and you will take charge of that."
"Sales won't be a problem, but the union executives who receive lobbying from the call agencies won't sit still."
"At the same time we launch the KakaoTalk taxi service, we'll blow the lid off what branch chief Cha Bong-hoon is doing."
When a kingdom is collapsing, who has time to care about other things?
While the police, prosecutors, and tax authorities simultaneously go after Cha Bong-hoon, the
KakaoTalk taxi service will establish itself.
"If the taxi union causes trouble, recruiting independent taxi drivers isn't hard, but whether we can bring in drivers affiliated with taxi companies is uncertain."
"In the end, it's all about the money, isn't it? You've runs a taxi company, so you knows how
much the call agencies are robbing them."
"They're worse than those in Myeong-dong. Even in Myeong-dong, they don't charge interest
higher than 30%, but call agencies take commissions between 30% and as much as 50%. On top of that, they charge 5,000 won every month for communication fees."
Taking 50% commission? No wonder the call agencies are such a lucrative business.
"The KakaoTalk taxi calling service will have a 0% commission rate and zero communication fees. Then, where else would taxi drivers go?"
"Is it possible to operate with zero commission?"
"We'll probably raise the commission little by little later on. Still, it won't even reach half of
what the call agencies take."
"That would definitely be a big advantage. Since taxi companies' profits will increase, no matter how much lobbying the call agencies do, there will be a limit."
"And we'll lease the devices needed for the KakaoTalk taxi service for free. Taxi drivers can
boost their earnings by at least 30% without spending a single won."
"I'm going to meet with the drivers right now. I'll start with taxi companies that have a bad
relationship with the Seoul branch chief."
Although the KakaoTalk taxi calling app was complete, it couldn't be launched until enough taxi companies and drivers signed franchise contracts.
If it were released prematurely and users couldn't get a taxi, distrust in the app would only grow.
So, for the next month, the focus had to be on recruiting taxi drivers.
Meanwhile, work to dismantle branch chief Cha Bong-hoon could begin.
"Tell them to start the operation against branch chief Cha Bong-hoon immediately."
"It's been a while since the executioners danced with their swords properly. We'll hand over all the evidence to the prosecutors, police, and tax office."
The time had come for the executioners' sword dance.
Could branch chief Cha Bong-hoon withstand their blades?
***
Branch Chief Cha Bong-hoon visited Youngshin Taxi Company.
It was the company run by his father and the largest taxi company in Seoul.
It generated revenues comparable to a medium-sized enterprise and had many taxi drivers, giving it considerable influence in political circles.
"Father! Something serious has happened."
"Why are you making such a fuss all of a sudden? Did you get drunk and hit someone again?"
"Don't bring up old stories. No, the prosecutors and the tax office have started an investigation."
"Are they cracking down on the taxi union? Sounds like a political show."
Cha Il-yeop, president of Youngshin Taxi Company.
He had accumulated plenty of know-how running the taxi company through various
administrations.
Especially through experience, he knew how to handle political theatrics.
"What should we do?"
"What else? We have to fight back strongly. If we respond half-heartedly, they'll think we're
weak. We need to show them we're not easy with a mass strike."
"Do you think the taxi drivers will go along with a mass strike?"
"If the union leaders push for it, what can the drivers do? If they don't join the strike, the call
agency will assign them lower priority. With that threat, the drivers have no choice but to join."
A strict relationship of power and submission.
In general, companies are the 'gap' (dominant party), and employees are the 'eul' (subordinate
party).
This was the case in taxi companies as well, especially if the company owned the call agency — the power imbalance was even clearer.
"Then I'll immediately call a union meeting and propose a strike resolution."
"These issues are a matter of timing. We need to strike before the full-scale investigation begins."
"I'll make sure the strike can start by the end of this week at the latest."
"But do you know under what pretext the prosecutors and tax office launched the investigation? It's not like they just came out of nowhere."
"Well… they say the investigation is on charges of labor law violations, breach of trust,
embezzlement, and collusion."
Branch Chief Cha Bong-hoon spoke with his head held high.
He felt no guilt whatsoever about his actions and accepted them as completely natural.
"Haven't you taken too much for yourself?"
"When have I ever taken for myself alone? This was done so that we all could eat well and live well. I might have taken a little more sometimes, but never alone."
"That's fine then. If those who received their share have any conscience, they'll join this strike."
This was the reason Cha Bong-hoon had developed such a scoundrel-like character.
It was a trait inherited from his father, and the concept of guilt simply didn't exist for the Cha
family.
While Branch Chief Cha Bong-hoon was planning the strike resolution, Captain Kang was going around meeting with drivers from the Seoul Individual Taxi Association.
The purpose was to recruit them for the soon-to-be-launched CocoaTalk taxi-hailing service.
"So, you're saying that if I just attach this little device to my navigation system, it'll automatically take calls for me?"
"That's right! And it won't do the ridiculous thing of taking a 50% commission like the current call companies."
"If I mess around with this and get on the bad side of those call companies, it'll be hard to make a living going forward…"
"This isn't messing around. Have you heard of KakaoTalk?"
"Young folks might know it, but people like us don't know what that is."
Captain Kang checked the drivers' phones.
Every single one was using an old feature phone, and some had smartphones but used only calls and texts without other functions.
"This is a trustworthy company's project, so you won't have to worry. It's the only chance to stop being bullied by call companies."
"Thinking about those call companies makes my blood boil, but can anything really replace
calling once on the phone to hail a taxi?"
"This new service isn't about making a phone call, but just pressing a few buttons to call a taxi. It's several times more convenient. Especially younger people will definitely use KakaoTalk taxi service."
"Still, I'm not totally convinced…"
Fear of the unknown is human nature.
Captain Kang knew this well and had no choice but to play his trump card.
"This is a project supported by Taewoo Group. With Taewoo Group backing it, what is there to worry about?"
"Taewoo Group? You should have said that first! If Taewoo Group supports it, then it probably won't fail."
"KakaoTalk and Taewoo Group jointly developed this service. Taewoo Group won't be on the surface, but they're strongly backing it behind the scenes."
"Hmmm, so I just need to install this on my navigation system?"
"Yes, that's right. You do have to register as a franchisee, but it only takes 10 seconds."
Captain Kang felt a slight pang of regret.
If I had mentioned Taewoo Group from the start, I wouldn't have had to say so much.
Of course, Taewoo Group wouldn't take the spotlight publicly, but just the fact that they invested gave individual taxi drivers enough confidence to apply for the franchise.
"Well, since we're individual business owners, it doesn't affect us much, but drivers belonging to taxi companies might have a harder time. They'd need permission from their companies to apply."
"Then wouldn't that be even better for the individual drivers? They'd get more calls concentrated on them."
"That's true, haha."
Though they said that, drivers affiliated with taxi companies were also necessary.
With only individual drivers, it would be difficult for the call service to operate properly.
"Please spread the word to other drivers as well. If they come to our company, we'll lend the
devices for free and even help them apply for the franchise."
"Don't worry about it. Also, small taxi companies might be able to apply for the franchise. I'll mention it to some companies I know."
"We'd really appreciate that."
Captain Kang went around very diligently.
But aside from the individual taxi union, there was little gain.
At best, they signed franchise contracts with just a few small companies.