"When did our R&D lab grow so big like this!"

One of Jangwon’s beliefs remained unwavering: "The Spirit of Technological Superiority." He believed that merely stopping at the learning stage was no different from falling behind. The kind of talent he sought out possessed both wisdom and expertise – talent that contemplated and acted to enhance their own and the company’s technological capabilities. Pacific had already achieved a high level of manufacturing competence, but Jangwon instinctively realized that a business that depended upon production technology alone had clear limits.
Just as one cannot climb to greater heights if one becomes too absorbed in enjoying the view from the summit, Jangwon’s keen judgment once again proved accurate. The gradual influx of foreign cosmetics into Korea was becoming more noticeable, signaling the need for even more rigorous research processes and more professional outcomes. During this period of soul searching, Jangwon encountered a significant partnership with a researcher named Yongseop Koo.

"Please help me out, Mr. Koo.
We can work together to make some great cosmetics!"

Although Pacific had become a prominent group that had worked to significantly advanced Korea’s cosmetics industry, at the time Jangwon proposed that Koo join the company, the industry was not considered particularly promising. Moreover, Koo was a distinguished researcher who had worked as an assistant research fellow under a professor of chemical engineering at Yonsei University and had even served as a factory manager for the Japanese cosmetics brand Shiseido. After the war, Koo was teaching as an instructor at a university when Jangwon’s offer to join a cosmetics company caught him off guard. He needed time to think before declining the offer, not fully understanding why he hesitated to say no, even though he knew it wasn’t his area of interest.
It was only after he finally expressed his refusal that he realized what had made him pause—the undeniable earnestness in Jangwon’s voice and eyes. Simply put, it was Jangwon’s sincerity. Koo offered a counterproposal: he would join Pacific, but only if he could continue lecturing at the university. Jangwon saw in Koo a trustworthy and strong integrity rooted in professionalism. They shook hands in agreement, and at that moment, a small spark began to flare into something much greater.

“Technologies are meant to evolve.
I ask you not to stop.
For yourself, and for the company as well.”

When Koo joined Pacific, it marked the establishment of the company’s first-ever in-house R&D office in 1954, a pioneering achievement for Korea’s cosmetics industry. While it wasn’t an impressive, fully equipped laboratory, the significance lay in the fact that research and development were taking place within. Having research embedded in cosmetics was akin to laying the foundation for progress. Jangwon encouraged the researchers, emphasizing the need to keep pushing forward for the sake of both the company and themselves, ensuring they never became complacent or disheartened. Within the R&D Lab office, Jangwon was a dependable and resonant colleague, a broad-minded and reliable mentor. He viewed the research and development happening in the lab as crucial to creating finished products rooted in science.
Although Koo initially continued his university lectures as promised, within a year he decided to focus entirely on his work at Pacific, realizing that this was where his expertise was truly needed. Upon joining the lab, Koo played a pivotal role in developing Pacific’s standout products, including the " ABC No. 100 Cream " and the "ABC Foundation " and "ABC Emulsion" lines. Jangwon’s steadfast progress in the business, driven by his sharp instincts and considerable experience, was always possible because of the people around him. Surrounding Jangwon were invaluable talents who possessed professionalism, technical skills, diligence, and honesty. These individuals stayed by Jangwon’s side because he was also their steadfast supporter. The relationship of mutual support and trust that grew between Jangwon and his team provided a strong foundation for Pacific to achieve remarkable advancements in development.

“Our researchers will dream up something new.”

As Pacific’s headquarters and factories moved to Yongsan, Jangwon expanded the size of the buildings and steadily fortified their internal operations. Jangwon was never one to do things halfway. From the production line to distribution, he focused on ensuring continued advancement. The company grew steadily, and the R&D Lab expanded alongside it. But Jangwon was not someone content with piecemeal progress. He always envisioned a brighter tomorrow and was constantly looking beyond to an even greater future. With these hopes in mind, Jangwon made the decision to send Yongseop Koo to study in Germany.
With Koo’s unwavering support and cooperation, Jangwon was able to import the latest equipment from Europe and acquire development tools and information that already had an established track record abroad. This was a leap forward on an entirely different level from the struggles they had faced within the Korean market. A new world was beginning to open up for Pacific. As development and research flowed seamlessly, Pacific was able to launch a lineup of improved products. The company was on a winning streak. After several expansions of the R&D lab, and finally in 1958, when the latest machinery—Asia’s first "Air Spun"—arrived at Pacific's second manufacturing facility, Jangwon knew that Pacific would expand globally at an unpredictable speed, and that this pace would only increase.
Thanks to Jangwon’s foresight, wisdom, and drive to build a solid foundation for the company, in 1959, just one year after the construction of the second factory, Pacific Chemical Industry Corp., a small cosmetic from Korea, signed a technology-sharing agreement with Coty, a mega cosmetic company from France. This became the moment when Jangwon’s keen judgment and sincere ambition propelled the company onto the global stage.

Everyone has their shortcomings. While it’s important to address them and strive for a better tomorrow, letting those shortcomings hold you back from showcasing your strengths is never a wise choice. Instead, why not shift your perspective and focus on developing a tool that you can call your own? Confidence in expressing your views boldly is one such powerful tool. At the same time, the ability to step back and consider the thoughts and needs of other people can also be a valuable tool in your arsenal.
The empathy and kindness to understand and care for others can foster camaraderie and friendship among those you work with. What are you focusing on to hone your unique toolbox? Even the smallest effort counts—gradually refining that tool could turn what you once saw as a flaw into a strength!