Chapter 16

16. The WinCare Project

“The truth is, there’s a research project we’d like you to take on, Senior Jiseul. We’ve already discussed it among ourselves, and we all agreed that you’re the perfect person for it.”

No sooner had they settled into the lounge with cups of coffee than Kangbin launched into a lengthy explanation.

There also seemed to be a hint of nervousness on his face.

“A research project you want me to handle?”

Jiseul looked at him curiously.

Kangbin nodded confidently, while Team Leader Yuna wore a meaningful smile.

“That’s right. Have you had a chance to look over the WinCare project yet?”

“I’m going through it now. I’ve only made it about halfway.”

“Oh! You’re already halfway through? That’s incredibly fast.”

Kangbin stared at her in genuine amazement.

Seeing the sincere admiration in his eyes, Jiseul could only smile awkwardly.

Over the past few days, she’d noticed something about him.

Kangbin had a knack for praising people in a way that naturally made them feel good.

“I haven’t been able to examine it in detail because of time. I’ve only gotten a general overview so far.”

“That’s impressive enough. The amount of material is enormous. Anyway, let me give you a quick overview first. It’ll be much easier to understand once you see the big picture.”

As he spoke, Kangbin opened his laptop and immediately pulled up a presentation.

“As you know, WinCare is WS Soft’s flagship healthcare app, the project the company is betting everything on. It works alongside WinWatch to collect and analyze users’ health data. The beta version is scheduled for release in January next year, three months from now, while the official launch is planned for May, seven months from now.”

The laptop screen displayed the WinCare interface in vivid detail.

Heart rate, blood pressure, blood glucose, sleep patterns, exercise levels, stress index, and various other types of biometric data collected by WinWatch were all visible at a glance.

“Our team’s goal isn’t just to display data. We want to provide AI-powered personalized healthcare solutions. For example, if someone’s blood glucose is high, it’ll recommend dietary adjustments. If their sleep pattern is irregular, it’ll offer tips to improve sleep.”

Jiseul listened attentively while nodding.

As an app aiming to become the ultimate healthcare platform, WinCare was packed with an impressive range of features.

Even if it were released today, its performance alone would surpass every existing healthcare app.

“The biggest challenge for WinWatch right now is improving data accuracy. Especially the blood glucose measurement feature. According to our clinical trials, the average error rate is currently around 8.02%. That’s already an outstanding figure by global standards, and we’ve even received medical device approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, but it’s still nowhere near our goal.”

“If you’ve already received approval, isn’t that enough? Besides, isn’t it the world’s first blood glucose monitor that doesn’t require drawing blood?”

“Approval is one thing, and being the world’s first certainly matters. But what matters most is our goal. We want to reduce the error rate to under 5.0%. We want an overwhelming advantage over every other company.”

An overwhelming advantage.

Only then did Jiseul understand what Kangbin and Yuna were aiming for.

Their current results were already excellent.

They simply weren’t satisfied with stopping there.

Still, reducing the error rate below five percent sounded almost impossible.

In a way, it felt like chasing an unrealistic dream.

“I… understand what you mean. But isn’t an error rate below five percent a little unrealistic? With current technology, that’s almost impossible.”

Jiseul carefully voiced her doubts.

Kangbin gave a bittersweet smile and nodded.

“I can understand why you’d think that. But aren’t dreams meant to be achieved? Originally, measuring blood glucose without drawing blood was considered impossible too. Yet we made it happen. So I’m sure there’s a way to lower the error rate as well.”

There was something strangely convincing about his words.

Unable to dismiss them outright, Jiseul decided to meet him halfway.

“That’s true. Maybe there is a way. Improving the algorithm would have to come first.”

When she answered seriously, Kangbin broke into a broad grin and clapped his hands.

“Exactly! Algorithm optimization! That’s what we desperately need. The differences between individuals are just too large. Skin condition, blood vessel location, body fat percentage. They’re all different from person to person, which creates significant errors. External noise is also a major issue. We need an algorithm that can compensate for all of that, but it still isn’t perfect. There’s a lot of room for improvement.”

After speaking cautiously, Kangbin looked at Jiseul with a meaningful expression.

She immediately understood the situation.

She also understood why he’d started with such a basic explanation.

“Are you asking me to make that my research topic?”

As soon as she asked, Kangbin nodded seriously.

Team Leader Jung Yuna, who had quietly listened the entire time, did the same.

Yuna clearly explained what they wanted.

“That’s right. We’d like you to research ways to improve WinCare’s blood glucose measurement algorithm. Our team worked ourselves to the bone just to obtain approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, but we haven’t been able to improve it any further. Maybe we’ve reached the limits of our own abilities. That’s why we need someone who can bring in fresh ideas. Someone with exceptional talent.”

Yuna looked at Jiseul with complete trust.

Kangbin also wore a hopeful expression.

Jiseul was so taken aback that she couldn’t hide it.

The weight of their expectations was written all over her face.

“I can certainly try, but I can’t make any promises. I think it’s better not to expect too much.”

She said that, but Kangbin and Yuna exchanged knowing smiles.

“The fact that you’re willing to try already means a lot. We know the chances of failure are high. We won’t judge you based on the outcome, so just do your best.”

Yuna gently clasped Jiseul’s hands as she spoke.

Unsure how to respond to the atmosphere, Jiseul could only smile awkwardly.

As if he’d been waiting for this moment, Kangbin removed a USB drive from his laptop and handed it to her.

“This contains the current WinCare algorithm source code, test data, and the error analysis reports. Take your time reviewing everything and see if you can find a direction for improvement.”

“Understood. I’ll start by analyzing the code. Once I’ve organized everything, I’ll present some improvement proposals in a few days.”

Jiseul answered heavily.

Yuna smiled gently and shook her head.

“Wouldn’t a few days be too rushed? It’s fine to take your time. This isn’t the kind of problem that can produce satisfying results overnight.”

“You’re right. Still, I think I can at least establish a rough framework within a week. I’ll approach it carefully.”

Kangbin immediately clapped his hands with delight.

“I knew it! I had a feeling you’d say yes, Senior Jiseul. You’re truly one of the best!”

“Then best of luck, Senior Jiseul. Let’s push our team’s capabilities to one hundred percent… no, two hundred percent!”

Yuna laughed heartily as she tightly held both of Jiseul’s hands.

There was unmistakable hope in her eyes.

And just a little pressure as well.

Jiseul silently nodded.

She hadn’t expected them to place this much faith in her, and the responsibility weighed heavily on her.

After spending quite some time encouraging and motivating her, Kangbin and Yuna excused themselves, saying they had work to do, and left.

Watching them walk away, Jiseul couldn’t help letting out a small laugh.

The task they’d handed her was overwhelming.

Yet at the same time, it filled her with an odd sense of satisfaction.

For her, work had always been something done alone.

The only colleague she’d ever occasionally worked alongside was Crow.

Even then, they’d never seen each other’s faces.

Their discussions had taken place solely through emails and phone calls.

Until now, the National Intelligence Service had been her only workplace.

This was the first time she’d ever sat face-to-face with coworkers, discussing work together like this.

It felt incredibly strange.

No…

It felt wonderful.

Something warm and fulfilling swelled inside her chest.