Korean Workers

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I called one of my friends yesterday, sunday, to ask if she could hang out with me. She said that she was doing extra works at the PC cafe because she couldn't finish her work the last time. She'd just moved to another place, so she couldn't connect internet yet at her place. She became a new banker two weeks ago in the one of the largest banks of Korea. Bankers and teachers are considered one of the good jobs in Korea because they can have guaranteed pension, benefits, paid parental leave, and sharp closing hours. These benefits are not common for workers working in the private companies. So, it is competitive to get such jobs, so it was my friend's dream job too.

But the reality was not that similar with her dream. She had to arrive at work by 7:30 am because she was the newest and youngest one in the bank so she shouldn't be late than any other. Her leaving hour was also around 9 pm because she was demanded heavy overworks. But she said it was okay because most of them whether they are in high places or not stayed in the bank till late night. Anyway, considering her commuting hours, she had to wake up around 5 am, and she could come back to home around 11 pm. It didn't seem that she could take any rest during the week. What is worse, she was required to pass one national financial exam by this month, and two others by next month. So she had to use her weekend for studying such things to keep her position and to be ready to be promoted. It is a story about one of the dream jobs in Korea.

One of my seniors in the school club, who is working as a sucessful fund manager told his juniors including me that we should not take advantage of the vacations for the first working year. He said it was one of the tips to become a favored worker by the company, and many of new workers had done like that.

It must be a crucial reason that Korea became a powerful economic country by working as hard as possible. But, at this point, I worry that my friends and other new workers might lose their ambition and dream that they have when they start working, as they become too tired of required works to think about themselves and the meaning of work.