The Overly Competent Junior Employee

“Weren’t you a bit too aggressive in your speech?”

Two days later.

Perhaps due to his appearance on last Saturday’s broadcast, as soon as the Monday morning meeting ended, Dokyung was summoned for a private audience with Branch Manager Ryu Tae-hwa.

“I was on pins and needles throughout the entire broadcast.”

Ryu Tae-hwa asked Dokyung with a genuinely worried expression.

“I’m sorry for causing you concern. But I tried my best to modulate my tone…”

“Of course, it was what needed to be said, and necessary words. That’s why they called you, Dokyung-ssi. However, Dr. Jo Hyun-seok has many fans.”

Of course, Ryu Tae-hwa knew what kind of personality Dokyung had, and he didn’t think what he said on the broadcast was particularly problematic.

In fact, he had received many calls from acquaintances at various securities firms that day. Most of them were praising Dokyung.

After all, Dokyung had said the most important things for market participants.

But the opponent was who he was.

“This morning, I got a call from headquarters saying that the company is receiving many phone calls.”

“Phone calls?”

“Yes, they’re either fans of Dr. Jo Hyun-seok or… investors who sold their stocks after listening to his words.”

Ryu Tae-hwa spoke with a tone tinged with regret, and Dokyung also felt the unfortunate situation.

It seemed they believed in the words of pessimists like Jo Hyun-seok more than the value of the companies they had carefully selected and bought.

“I understand their feelings.”

That belief had gone beyond simple faith and turned into blind faith, and now they might have even reached the point of truly hoping the market wouldn’t recover.

What if the market recovered and stocks rose after they had sold at a loss listening to Jo Hyun-seok’s words?

Furthermore, what if the market made a full recovery and stock prices rose, but they were still anxious and left sucking their thumbs?

They could only hope such a situation wouldn’t come.

That’s why they couldn’t help but dislike Dokyung’s appearance, planting seeds of hope.

“But I thought we should stand with the more active market participants.”

Dokyung spoke to Ryu Tae-hwa with a confident expression.

“Because I have nothing to say to those who are praying for things to fall.”

“You’re right. However, I hear the most common question in their angry phone calls is whether a mere PB can say that oil refinery stocks will rise and that the stock market will go up.”

“Everything I said on that live broadcast was approved by the company’s compliance team.”

Compliance referred to the company’s internal legal monitoring system.

Of course, being in the financial industry, it mostly monitored adherence to regulations set by laws and government agencies, such as the Capital Markets Act and Financial Investment Business Regulations.

As an employee of a securities firm, Dokyung had to get approval from Yuseong Investment Securities’ internal compliance team for everything he was going to say on the YouTube broadcast.

For a straightforward example, analysts like Lee Yeon-ji in the Research Center could only refer to reports issued by headquarters.

Dokyung wasn’t an analyst but a PB, yet the same regulations applied.

“I referred to words from headquarters’ reports recommending the oil refining sector and reports on stock market strategy for the second half of this year.”

“I know. I just wanted to give you a heads-up.”

There was a possibility that Jo Hyun-seok’s fans might call Dokyung and disrupt his work.

It seemed Ryu Tae-hwa was giving him a preventive warning, and also advising him to maintain his composure even if they did call.

“I’ve talked to headquarters separately, so don’t worry too much.”

Dokyung bowed his head to Ryu Tae-hwa.

“Thank you for always looking out for me.”

“Not at all. Seeing how well the branch has been doing since you switched to a PB position, I should be paying more attention.”

Dokyung looked at Ryu Tae-hwa with surprise at his words.

“Why are you making that face?”

“It’s the first time you’ve made a joke, Branch Manager.”

“Hahaha, half of it is true. Anyway, let’s work hard. Be sure to tell me if any problems arise.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Dokyung bowed his head once more in farewell and left the branch manager’s office.

⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱

“Oh, Director Jung. It’s me, Jo Hyun-seok.”

Meanwhile, Jo Hyun-seok had been making calls all day from his office.

“How do you see the stock market these days?”

The person on the other end of the line was an executive at a securities firm he frequently interacted with, and as soon as Jo Hyun-seok asked, he started groaning as if he had been waiting for this question.

-Oh, Doctor. Don’t even mention it. It’s killing us. But shouldn’t you know better than anyone, Doctor?

“Ah, I know the market isn’t good. It’s plummeting just as I said, isn’t it?”

-…Ah, yes.

The other party responded with a bitter voice, but Jo Hyun-seok didn’t seem to hear it.

“What I want to ask isn’t about the market situation. Are there any different movements inside the securities firms?”

-Different movements…

A voice that sounded somewhat displeased came from the other end of the line.

-I can’t disclose internal information…

“Hahaha, come on, Director Jung. Do you think I’m asking for inside information? I’m not talking about that, but information like whether market participants are increasing or something like that.”

-Ah, yes. I’m sorry.

“So, what’s the atmosphere like?”

Jo Hyun-seok started pressing for an answer like someone in a hurry.

-Of course, market participants are decreasing. We’re seeing not only a decline in individual asset management services but even in fund product deposits.

“Oh my, the situation is quite bad.”

-Yes, it’s probably the same for other companies. If only stocks were falling, people might not withdraw their money, but with the cryptocurrency market crashing hard, everyone seems to be cautious, worried the stock market might follow suit.

Jo Hyun-seok nodded with satisfaction as the answer matched his expectations.

“Oh, thank you. I was wondering how market information was circulating these days…”

-I watched ‘Men Who Read Stocks’ over the weekend.

“Pardon?”

-Aren’t you concerned about what that junior from Yuseong Investment Securities said?

Jo Hyun-seok’s expression quickly hardened at the words from the other end of the line.

He knew that many industry people watched the “Men Who Read Stocks” channel, but he never imagined those words would come from the mouth of a securities firm executive.

“Ho ho, come on. Do you think I’m concerned about what a PB said right now?”

-I was surprised too. He spoke confidently about the stock market. So when I came to work this morning, I immediately received a related report…

“What kind of report came in?”

Jo Hyun-seok, who had been speaking as if annoyed just moments ago, now asked in a tone that suggested his interest was piqued.

-Our managers are viewing it pessimistically. Of course, there were some who agreed with that junior’s opinion.

“See? It wasn’t worth listening to. I was just curious because that fellow spoke so confidently.”

-I see… Anyway, please go easy when talking about the stock market. We’re really struggling.

“Hahaha, don’t worry. You know I’m someone who speaks according to the atmosphere… Anyway, thank you. Take care.”

-Yes, Doctor. Goodbye.

After ending the call, Jo Hyun-seok nodded with a very satisfied expression.

“That’s how it should be. No matter how much that kid blabbers, what can he do when the economy is like this?”

The image of the young PB looking at him with a smirk was still floating in his mind.

“I think I need to teach him a lesson this time.”

After pondering for a moment, Jo Hyun-seok seemed to have an idea and started moving his computer mouse to write a post on his Facebook.

[The end of oil price rises is in sight.]

After setting this as the first line, Jo Hyun-seok grinned and began writing.

⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱

[This is the VIP service that always cheers for you, our client.]

[Believing you will overcome this obstacle well, we provide you with information.]

[Recommended stock: T Oil]

[Stock to watch out for: KOSPI10 Inverse ETF]

[We are always with you, our member. Please don’t forget this fact.]

Dokyung was looking at the message received on the day of the live broadcast.

It was the message that made him decide to play along with Jo Hyun-seok that day.

“The market isn’t looking good from the start today either.”

Dokyung alternately looked at the message and the trading system displayed on his computer monitor.

He was confident that T Oil would rise. That’s why he had already positioned many clients in T Oil last week.

As if supporting that confidence, the message listed T Oil as a recommended stock.

“The problem is that inverse…”

ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) was a fund-type stock that bundled various stocks into one.

For example, a semiconductor ETF product would include representative semiconductor companies from Future Electronics to Yuseong Semiconductor, as well as other material, component, and equipment companies.

The inverse ETF that this message mentioned as a stock to watch out for was an ETF that bet on the decline of the top 10 KOSPI stocks.

In other words, it was a so-called short product that would profit if the stock market index fell.

“If the inverse is a stock to watch out for, it means the index will rise, right?”

Naturally, if a stock betting on the index’s decline was listed as one to watch out for, and if that stock fell, it meant the index would rise.

The stock to watch out for also seemed to support Dokyung’s thoughts.

“I hope we see a rebound signal before Jo Hyun-seok stirs up more trouble.”

Of course, the market could be unfavorable in the long term, and this could just be a rebound after the stock market’s significant decline.

However, in the current market that was like a drought, a rebound signal like much-needed rain had come through the message.

Dokyung couldn’t contain his excitement.

Bzzt- Bzzt-

While he was busy observing the market situation, his phone vibrated. Dokyung picked up the phone and pressed the call button.

“This is PB Yoon Dokyung from Yuseong Investment Securities, Seongnam Branch.”

-Hello, PB Yoon Dokyung. This is Oh Sung-eun, a reporter from Today Money.

“Pardon? Where from?”

-Today Money.

Today Money was a well-known economic newspaper in Korea.

“Ah, yes. Hello.”

-I watched the ‘Men Who Read Stocks’ channel last weekend. I’m currently reporting on that. Would it be possible to have a short interview?

“Yes, a brief interview should be fine.”

For a junior PB like Dokyung, an interview with the press was nothing short of a good opportunity. It wasn’t a common chance either.

-Have you seen Dr. Jo Hyun-seok’s Facebook post? He was your debate opponent that day.

“Facebook?”

-Yes, he posted something this morning…

“Uh… I’m sorry. I don’t really check up on him.”

-Ah, no. There’s nothing to be sorry about. To summarize the content, he was saying that oil prices will soon fall… But that day, you said to keep an eye on oil refinery stocks, didn’t you?

Dokyung was exasperated. He was once again betting on a decline that wouldn’t come, as if performing a rain ritual, and inciting various investors.

All just to win against a mere PB like himself.

-Is your opinion still the same, PB Yoon Dokyung?

The reporter’s thought on the other end of the line would be just one thing.

The prediction battle between Dokyung and Jo Hyun-seok expanding further.

Long (buy) and short (sell), the starkly contrasting opinions of the two would lead to clear results in the market’s reaction.

For the media, it was nothing short of what they call a “sellable article.”

“Yes. It’s still the same. Even if oil prices fall, I think the future of oil refinery stocks looks bright. This rise in refining margins is a green light for the performance improvement of refineries.”

Dokyung thought he couldn’t just stand by and watch Jo Hyun-seok act irresponsibly forever.

“I think I should say something I usually like now.”

-What’s that?

“Pessimists find difficulties in every opportunity; optimists find opportunities in every difficulty.”

Dokyung began to speak without hesitation, with an expression full of conviction.

“Pessimists become stars, optimists make money.”