The Kronoid corporation in “Jung_E” may have its own mysterious past and ambitions, but their leader, known only as the chairman, is an equally important mystery himself — one partially cracked by something as simple as his title. Kronoid, whose power approaches (if not equals) that of a full-fledged sovereign nation, answers to the position of chairman, which is a perfectly average title for a simple company but an odd one for a country.
Notably, several Asian countries with more autocratic governments answer to a chairman, including North Korea at multiple times in its history, and China, which was famously led by Chairman Mao. In Kronoid’s case, the title may imply that the corporation rose from within the Chinese or North Korean governments, operates similarly to them, or both. If the idea seems like a stretch, take a look at a scene around 47 minutes in, which takes place in Sang-Hoon’s office. Nearly covering an entire wall is an Art Nouveau mural that depicts the chairman standing over a golden city, bathed in rays of sunshine — almost identical to the many propaganda posters commissioned by Chairman Mao during his reign.
However, there is another possible origin for the chairman title. The South Korean organization known as the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, which hopes to unify North and South Korea, is also helmed by a chairman (though they use the term chairperson). That may hint at some hopeful news amidst the bleak future in which Kronoid exists.
