Ryu Ji-ho found himself back in his teenage body, yet his mind brimmed with the wisdom of a fifty-year-old man. It was a rare chance, a new life handed to him, filled with opportunities and challenges. He knew the road ahead would be different, and maybe, just maybe, this time, he could live a life better than the one he had before.
"Overthinking kills courage," he murmured, as the cold wind brushed against his face. In the stillness, the sound of rustling paper echoed like a reminder of the journey he would soon begin.
Before him, an empty notebook lay open. With a firm grip on his pen, Ryu Ji-ho began scribbling down every memory that flickered in his mind—without any order, without any rules, just a stream of thoughts flowing naturally. The first thing he wrote down was the year—1987.
"June 10th is approaching," he said to himself.
"The great day is coming, the June 10th Democratic Uprising." It was an event that would end the 27-year military dictatorship that had begun with the May 16 Coup. Democracy, which had long been a mere shadow, was about to bloom again. Ryu Ji-ho knew this moment would change the course of his country's history.
His thoughts drifted to the future. The 1988 Seoul Olympics loomed on the horizon. He could see it as a major turning point for South Korea. But beyond that, with his sharp memory, he knew the looming IMF crisis would soon follow and dramatically alter the nation's economic landscape. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he imagined the possibilities that lay ahead. If he were to invest in land or property in areas like Gangnam, two decades later, the value would skyrocket, bringing him immense wealth.
But a sliver of doubt crept into his mind. "Where would I get the money to survive until then?" he mused.
Investing in the stock market seemed like a more immediate option. But he was also aware that short-term trading could be treacherous. Ryu Ji-ho didn't possess a deep knowledge of the market. Nevertheless, he could recall a few companies that would flourish and those that would eventually collapse in the future.
American companies like Macintosh, PineSoft, and IBT—their names shimmered in his mind. If he could buy their stocks now, while they were still affordable, the future would surely be his for the taking.
"If only I could see a list of stocks right now," he muttered, "I'd know exactly which companies will soar in the future."
Ryu Ji-ho knew exactly where to find it. In those days, newspapers published stock prices daily. It was simple—he just needed to pick up one of the major papers and start tracking them. As someone who had once been nothing more than a third-rate director, writing scripts for adult films and directing small, insignificant projects, Ryu Ji-ho might never have been seen as a brilliant man. But now, he had an advantage—he had glimpsed the future.
With this knowledge, maybe he could finally achieve his dream of becoming wealthy. Ohsung Electronics, for instance, was still trading at under 30,000 won. If he bought shares now and held onto them for thirty years, their value could exceed 2 million won—a return beyond imagination.
Ryu Ji-ho sat brooding in the cramped corner of his small bedroom, his eyes gazing far beyond the dull grey walls. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, spinning with ideas about the future. Names like PineSoft, Macintosh, Google, AmazonusCom, and FaceNote flashed through his mind, one by one. How easy it would be to become rich if only he could invest in those companies now.
"But... is it even possible for me to buy foreign stocks right now? And on top of that, I don't even have enough money," he muttered under his breath, biting down on his lower lip in frustration.
In those days, investing in stocks wasn't as simple as tapping a button on a screen. There was no convenience of investing from home like there would be in the future. Everything had to be done manually—visiting security firms, meeting people who had spent years in the industry. Even if someone had the skill to analyze stocks, how could they ever compete with the massive capital of the speculative giants? A small investor like him was nothing more than an ant, easily crushed beneath their feet.
And then, there was another obstacle—his age. Ryu Ji-ho was only seventeen, just starting high school. Would any security firm even allow a minor to open an account?
"Damn it, even if I know the future, it's still hard to get rich fast," he groaned, throwing his head back onto his pillow in defeat.
He had never once dealt with stocks, let alone run a business. Sure, he knew the tech sector would boom in the future, but his knowledge didn't stretch beyond being a casual smartphone user. The technology was right there, literally in his hands, but he lacked the deep expertise to take advantage of it. Still, there was one undeniable advantage: he had memories of what would happen in the next thirty years. If only he could figure out how to leverage that knowledge, maybe—just maybe—his fate could change.
He pondered for a moment, considering all the possibilities. Maybe starting a business was the answer. But how? He was just a high school student from a modest background. The idea of starting a business at his age, with his limited resources, felt like a far-fetched dream.
"But... time is on my side," he thought, feeling a flicker of optimism.
"Maybe I can study hard, get into a good university, and major in business or economics. Who knows? From there, I might be able to build something."