News that Tak-hyeon Lee would be visiting the Los Angeles electronics show generated a great deal of buzz.

Because the news that the chairman of Ilhyeon Group would personally visit the world's largest electronics show, amid the difficult economic conditions of the currency crisis, was like a single ray of hope in economic news that had been full of nothing but grim stories.

The press competed to report on Ilhyeon Electronics' participation in the Los Angeles electronics show.

[Ilhyeon Electronics to Unveil New TV at Los Angeles Electronics Show]

[Ilhyeon Electronics' Ambitious Mobile Phone Expected to Finally Make Its Appearance in Los Angeles]

[Experts Predict Ilhyeon Electronics' Washing Machine Will Win Technical Innovation Award in Los Angeles]

The press anticipated that Ilhyeon Electronics might unveil new products and take home a few awards in Los Angeles.

And, framing this as connected to the outstanding national character of Koreans who forged through hardship even amid a severe economic crisis, they worked up the mood.

On the plane bound for Los Angeles, Byeong-jin Jo spoke to Seong-ho, seated beside him, in a low voice.

"Do you know how many reporters are on the same plane as us?"

"How many?"

"A full fifty. Everyone says their pockets are empty and dollars are expensive, but it seems they're doing all right. Foreign media will cover all of this, and yet they've sent reporters directly to the U.S. like this — the newspapers and broadcasters must have deep pockets."

"That's how much this is going to be news."

Seong-ho answered, turning the page of the newspaper he was reading.

The paper was still full of nothing but bleak stories — from which company somewhere had gone bankrupt, to the narrowing door to employment, to how, retirement age aside, if you didn't leave the company even at fifty you were called clueless, and so on. The newspaper was all gloom.

Of course, it wasn't that there were no interesting stories at all.

There was also a large piece about how the corporate landscape might shift with the Big Deal concluded among the five major groups.

But…