The news that the Strategic Planning Office was becoming the Restructuring Headquarters startled not only Ilhyeon Group but the whole business world.

That the Strategic Planning Office — which laid out future revenue sources and the group's direction — was disappearing was startling enough, but the fact that it was turning into a place for conducting group-wide restructuring left people bewildered.

Single-company restructuring was not uncommon. Ilhyeon Group had shown the need for it while carrying out the restructuring of Ilhyeon Watch and Ilhyeon Hotel. But group-wide restructuring like this was the first in the history of Korean business. And on top of that, the fact that the first to do it was none other than Ilhyeon Group, the finest in the Republic of Korea, left people unable to hide their surprise.

"Is the company doing that badly?"

Ilhyeon headquarters staff gathered in twos and threes at the smoking area, smoking and talking.

"They're doing restructuring because it's bad, I'd guess."

"Hoo… seeing us of all places do this, the market must be pretty bad right now."

"Or it could be moving early, anticipating that it'll turn bad."

"Moving early?"

"Yeah."

The one who'd said it might be moving early, seeing his colleague's gaze on him, spoke again. "Move after you've confirmed it's gone bad and you're too late. Think about the Ilhyeon Hotel time. How hard that was."

"True — the Ilhyeon Hotel restructuring went in at the level of whether to shut the place down or not, so all the staff had it rough. Plenty got cut with empty hands, too."

"That's why I'm saying it might move early. That way the blow to the staff is lighter."

At that, everyone there nodded.

"It's certainly better to move before it goes bad than after. But have you heard who's coming as Head of Restructuring Headquarters?"

The colleagues' eyes suddenly poured onto the one who'd asked who was coming.

"You still don't know that?"

"Director Kim Seong-ho, obviously."

"Director Kim Seong-ho?"

The staffer recalling the name Seong-ho cocked his head. "Director Kim… the one who did the Ilhyeon Watch…