Chapter 14: Conquer the American Market!!
"Great job, everyone. Let's raise a toast to the completion of Super Marigi!"
"Cheers!"
December 24, 1983, Christmas Eve. The first side-scrolling video game, Super Marigi, was finally finished. Thanks to the success of the previous installment, Mariji Brothers, released in September, which featured a unique two-player gaming experience, the expectations for Super Marigi were even higher.
Thanks to Donkey Kong and Mariji Brothers, it was rumored that the game would sell like hotcakes as children's Christmas presents. Mr. Kamauji, the president, was delighted to hear the news. He was so excited that he wondered if he should join the celebration party for the development team in person.
"Hey, Shige, how many copies do you think this game will sell?! Huh? A million? Two million? Hahaha!"
"It's estimated to sell ten million copies worldwide. I quietly chuckled to myself as I sipped my beer.
"Mr. President, I didn't make this game on my own. To be honest, if it weren't for Kang Junhyuk, we wouldn't have been able to create Super Marigi so quickly."
"That's right, that's right. Hey, Kang, where are you!?"
"Right here."
"Ah, there you are. I'm coming over!"
Mr. Kamauji, already quite intoxicated, rushed over to me, dancing merrily.
"Haha! Where did this treasure of a president come from to make me so happy!?"
Well, he's completely sloshed. I smiled awkwardly, slightly distancing myself from the tipsy Mr. Kamauji and his alcohol fumes.
"Kang, meeting him was a coincidence. At that time, if I hadn't gone to buy lunch before getting on the Shinkansen..."
"Enough, Ganpei! I've heard that story a hundred times!"
Three months after joining Nintendo, I was adapting well to 1983. The development team members were very friendly, and I didn't encounter any hostility. I was too busy working to spend money, so my bank balance was steadily growing.
Everything was going well, with no worries. Let's enjoy the year-end in high spirits and welcome 1984. It was then that Mr. Kamauji, who was by my side, looked at me with a somewhat serious expression.
"Kang Junhyuk."
"Yes, Mr. President?"
"Now that I've given you a gun, it's time to go to the United States."
"Uh...?"
About a month later, on January 25, 1984, I entrusted Shige with the production of Super Marigi cartridges and arrived in the United States with Ganpei.
"Oh, damn! It's so cold! Kamauji, at least spend the winter here, you bastard!"
"Huh? Kang? What did you say just now? I think I heard the president's name."
"I was just talking to myself in Korean."
I was dragging my uncooperative luggage through the streets of New York.
The two of us entered a shabby hotel that MinTendo had reserved for us in the United States. Shasak... What was that? It felt like something just crawled on the floor. They really booked the headquarters staff accommodation from Japan in a place like this. Even though Mr. Kamauji was a bit whimsical, he usually cared about the welfare of his employees. Ganpei, who was standing next to me, didn't look too pleased either.
"Is this how American hotels are? They're not as well-equipped as in Japan."
"Hard to believe, right? I guess they just booked the cheapest place."
"Well, Mr. Yamashita, who is in charge of the U.S. branch, is Kamauji's son-in-law. Would he treat us like this?"
"Anyway, Ganpei, I can't sleep here. Let's change hotels."
"What? But if we book another place, we'll have to pay out of our own pockets, not the company's budget."
"I have enough money for that. We might be staying here for a few months, and I can't live like this!"
In the end, I grabbed Ganpei and hailed a taxi in front of the hotel.
"Please take me to the best hotel around here."
"Yes, sir~"
"Hey, Kang, where are we heading to now?"
"I asked for the best hotel around here."
"What?! H-hey, Kang, are you sure about this?"
Shortly after, we found ourselves standing in front of a huge hotel shimmering with dazzling lights. Unlike the hotel in the outskirts, this place was adorned with New Year's greetings all over. Finally, it felt like a lively place.
"Well, at least this should be good enough, don't you think?"
"This place looks too expensive, doesn't it? Huh? Kang!? Kang!!"
Ignoring Ganpei's voice from behind, I dragged my luggage and entered the hotel. It's freezing, and this is precisely when you spend money. I'm glad I exchanged a lot of currency just in case. I passed through the hotel lobby bustling with people and approached the front desk, where a blue-eyed blonde beauty greeted me with a smile.
"How may I help you, sir?"
"I'd like a room, please."
"Did you make a reservation?"
"No, I didn't."
"Okay, would you like a single or double?"
"I'm staying for a month. I'd like the best room you have."
"Yes, sir~"
Ganpei stood next to me, dumbfounded, shocked by our conversation.
"A month!? Kang, are you sure you're going to stay in the best room at this hotel for a whole month?"
"Well, for now, I'll book it for a minimum of one month and see how things go. Isn't it better to extend it as needed?"
"No, what are you talking about? We came here on a business trip, not for a vacation!"
"Who's saying that? Work is work, and rest is rest. Don't we perform better when we rest well?"
"Even so, renting a suite..."
"Ganpei, are you implying that you want to share a single room with me!?"
"No, that's not what I meant!"
But the game was already over. While we were discussing back and forth, the front desk staff had completed all the preparations and handed us the key.
"Thank you. Happy New Year~"
I took the key and greeted the front desk staff, then headed for the elevator.
"My goodness, what should I report to the president?"
"Ganpei, you worry too much. This is my own money, not the company's budget."
The price of a suite in New York's best hotel in 1983 was $149 per night. Of course, that amounted to an enormous sum of $4,500 for a month. But it was manageable. My bank account balance was so high that it didn't even cover the service charges. With my luggage, I headed into the elevator.
"Kang, you may not be aware of it as a Korean, but in Japanese society, people care about others' perception... If you stay in such a high-end hotel, your Japanese colleagues will undoubtedly think you're enjoying yourself."
It's commonly said that the Japanese have "honne" (true feelings) and "tatemae" (outward appearances). While I'm not sure about "honne," "tatemae" implies that they behave politely and considerately on the surface, even if it doesn't reflect their true feelings. They are known for this duality in their personality, as if their appearance and their inner selves are different. It seems that Japanese people are quite conscious of the opinions of those around them.
"Let's just focus on our work and leave it at that. Why bother with such tiring details?"
Ah, I don't care. After a nearly 15-hour flight, I'm exhausted. I can't be bothered with such trivial matters. I need to take a hot shower and get some sleep.
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