The success of Future Mind Co. was a double-edged sword. Its sheer scale and the unprecedented nature of its profits, especially from the complex financial instruments Mr. Park was now managing, were beginning to attract attention. While Mr. Park was diligently learning the new "language of finance" from Min-jun, the company's fledgling legal division, newly formed to handle the growing volume of contracts, found itself out of its depth. They were accustomed to standard corporate law, not the intricate, often novel, international futures and options contracts Min-jun was now deploying. This inexperience was a glaring liability, a potential chink in Future Mind's otherwise impenetrable armor.
Min-jun knew that legal vulnerability could undo years of meticulous planning. The 1997 IMF Crisis, as he knew it, would bring with it not only economic collapse but also a wave of complex bankruptcies, international lawsuits, and desperate corporate restructuring. Future Mind Co. needed legal expertise that was not just proficient, but truly visionary, capable of navigating a labyrinth of financial law that barely existed in 1995.
This pressing need led Min-jun to a new target, identified through the Omni-7's exhaustive future archives: Han Seo-jin. In 1995, she was a prodigious 28-year-old lawyer, recently returned to South Korea after distinguishing herself in comparative financial law studies in Japan. Her future self would become a leading authority in international financial regulation and corporate restructuring, renowned for her sharp intellect and unconventional problem-solving. But now, she was merely a bright, ambitious young attorney seeking a challenge.
Seo-jin was a woman of keen intellect and deep skepticism, a necessary trait in her profession. She had heard the whispers about Future Mind Co. – its astronomical rise, its mysterious "Chairman," and the almost unbelievable accuracy of its investments. Intrigued, and despite her reservations about joining a company so shrouded in secrecy, she accepted an interview with Mr. Park.
The meeting took place in Mr. Park's expansive office, a symbol of Future Mind's new prosperity. Seo-jin, impeccably dressed and radiating quiet confidence, exchanged polite greetings before cutting to the chase.
"Mr. Park," she began, her voice calm but direct, "Future Mind Co.'s assets have grown exponentially in a very short time. Your public investment records, while impressive, don't fully explain the magnitude of this growth. For a company of your relatively young age and lean structure to manage such massive, diverse assets with such uncanny foresight… it raises questions." Her gaze was piercing, an unspoken challenge in her eyes. "My understanding is that you're seeking expertise in international financial contracts. Frankly, I find it hard to believe a company of this nature would suddenly develop such sophisticated needs without a deeper, underlying strategy."
Mr. Park, unperturbed, simply smiled. "Ms. Han, your discernment is precisely why we sought you out. Future Mind Co. operates on a unique philosophy. We believe in proactive foresight, not reactive damage control. Our needs are indeed sophisticated, as the global financial landscape is rapidly changing. We require legal counsel capable of anticipating, not just responding." He paused, then leaned forward. "Our 'Chairman' is a visionary. He sees patterns and opportunities others do not. And he has identified you as uniquely capable of translating those visions into secure, actionable legal frameworks."
The meeting concluded with Seo-jin accepting a probationary consulting role, her skepticism still intact but her curiosity piqued. A few days later, an encrypted email landed in her inbox, routed through Mr. Park's secure servers, ostensibly from "The Chairman." It contained an attachment: a detailed breakdown of structured option models for emerging markets. The concepts presented – hybrid derivatives combining elements of both options and futures, designed to mitigate specific currency and political risks in volatile economies – were utterly revolutionary for 1995. These were ideas that wouldn't even be formalized in advanced financial markets until the early 2000s, let alone applied to emerging Asian economies.
Seo-jin spent the entire night poring over the document. Her legal mind, trained in the most advanced comparative financial law, recognized its sheer genius. It was elegant, complex, and flawlessly logical, outlining instruments that offered unprecedented levels of protection and profit in markets teetering on the edge of instability. It felt like receiving a blueprint from the future.
By dawn, the last vestiges of her skepticism had evaporated, replaced by profound awe and a burning professional curiosity. She immediately scheduled a meeting with Mr. Park. "I need to meet 'The Chairman'," she declared, her voice urgent. "This… this is beyond anything I've ever seen. The person who conceived this is a genius on a level I can barely comprehend."
Mr. Park, anticipating her reaction, offered his practiced reply. "He values distance, Ms. Han. His work requires absolute focus, away from public scrutiny. But if you wish to learn, if you wish to contribute to a vision that will redefine finance, he offers more than money – he offers knowledge, a chance to truly build the future of law alongside him."
Then, he handed her a thick, sealed envelope. "This is his 'first test,' Ms. Han. A practical application of the principles you just reviewed. It's a draft template for a hedged cross-border futures contract, specifically designed for potential currency fluctuations in a major Asian economy, complete with risk-mitigated clauses for sovereign debt and corporate defaults."
It was a contract designed for the very scenario of the impending IMF crisis, but with foresight that only Min-jun possessed.
That night, Han Seo-jin sat in her luxurious apartment, the city lights of Seoul blurring beyond her window. The sealed envelope lay open on her mahogany desk. She read the document again, every clause, every contingency, every brilliantly conceived mitigation strategy. It was a legal masterpiece, a shield forged in the fires of a future catastrophe.
"Who is this person?" she whispered into the silent apartment, her voice a mix of wonder and determination. The sheer intellect behind the document was staggering, almost unsettling. But for Seo-jin, it was also the ultimate professional challenge, an irresistible call to push the boundaries of her own understanding. The labyrinth of contracts had just become her new, fascinating workshop. Her transformation into Min-jun's loyal legal architect had begun. She knew, with absolute certainty, that her life had just taken an extraordinary turn.