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Korean Corporate Culture is CRAZY (The Untold Truth) | KPC | S2 EP.10

KPC with David Kim

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What’s it REALLY like to work a 9–6 job in Korea? 🇰🇷
From unpaid overtime and power hierarchies to nosey questions like “Is your nose real?” — Korean corporate life can be a whole other world. In this episode, we sit down with professionals working in Korean companies (both locals and foreigners) to spill the uncensored truth about:

🚇 Hellish commutes on Line 9
🕕 Staying late just to look loyal
💄 Office gossip about plastic surgery
🍻 Drinking culture, office dinners
💼 Nunchi, coffee duty, and the pressure to “fit in”
🔥 Whether it’s worth it or just pure burnout

If you're planning to work in Korea or are just curious about Korean work culture, this is the deep dive you need, because working in Korea can be DIFFERENT.

👇 COMMENT: What shocked you the most?
👇 SUBSCRIBE for more deep Korea insights & expat life episodes!

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🎤 Host: David Kim @justdavid_92
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20 Comments

@Livelifefairly 1 year ago

We were acquired by a Korean company recently and I have never seen a more hierarchical, unproductive, process-crazy bunch of people in my life. How they get anything done I’ll never know. In short, it sucks.

@XinLi 1 year ago

As a manager in one of the big tech companies in the US, if I ever asked an employee if they had a bf or gf, I would get reported to HR sooo fast. And we also bend over backwards to make sure our reports don't feel pressured to drink during team events. I personally enjoy drinking. But for team events, I put everything to a vote and let my folks contribute ideas, and device where to go. And I will put in my vote last, and vote for whatever is already the leading option, jus to not influence the team's decisions. Listening to how Korean corporate culture is so different is just wild to me.

@fearkillerzwithTamiForero 1 year ago

Almost everything mentioned is illegal here in the US…yikes!

@kove_seoul 1 year ago

Thank you for having me in this episode David~ It was super fun to talk about the working culture here in Korea 🎉

@pngtiff 1 year ago (edited)

Yay! 🎉 Thanks for having us on your podcast David! No longer in the Korean workforce but had so much fun chatting 😆☺️

@dudoji85 1 year ago

No joke, at "S" Company, there was a week when everyone was required to bring their own toilet paper to work due to symbolic cost cutting after a disappointing sales quarter. Technically that still didn't violate the occupational health laws in Korea.

@Pynk143 7 months ago

This is nice to watch. I feel koreand should keep ALL the culture, their way of asking questions, doing things. It is your culture so it is very important to keep it. I see different mannerisms in Hong Kong, Singaporeans , Thailands, Filipino. Its ok. No one gets violent 😊😊

@jamesslaughter141 1 year ago

A lot of this is just like USA we all work crazy hours for ridiculous salaries in Texas if you are corporate. It really is not much better in the USA especially Texas.

@BkkParichat-f5l 1 year ago

Coffee duty! Crazy for an entry level person! The boss should pay!

@ban2llatte 1 year ago

I always leave on time, sometimes even a few minutes earlier 🤣 no way I’m waiting for my boss to knock off first!

@teaazzz 1 year ago

Haa coffee duty would be a no-no in my workplace. We kind of have a rule where the highest position should always pay to avoid favoritism happened 😅.
I do think because u guys r super competitive that it lead to pressure in staying late etc. But generation change will lead to good change too in the working culture, so I wish the best for u guys!

@MariaChelidoni 1 year ago (edited)

These conversations are very interesting because you always get a sense of the culture and the mentality of people.
Not surprisingly, there are many similarities between Korean and Greeks (hello from Greece btw). I have never been part of the corporate world, at least not in that sense since I am an actress. But I have been teaching art at Schools and we do have the same "sharing" mind set. If I get coffee in my way to work at least I will call and ask if anyone else wants coffee. Or there are many times when a colleague will bring deserts for everyone.
Now for the company dinners we have them but they are not mandatory, whoever wants to come, comes. And they are more like a gathering than a company dinner with the strict meaning of the word. What I wish we would have though is a dress code. In most cases it doesn't apply when I think it should.
Thank you guys!

@diw2756 1 year ago

18:41 same thing for my first job I got questioned ,” are you wearing circle lenses to make your eyes look bigger? “Like David, my ethnicity got questioned a lot when I was younger because I have prominent features but I never expected that…

@franzitaduz 1 year ago (edited)

Korea came so far since Getting rid of the Japanese because of how hard everyone worked. The challenge is for this generation to start being more humane and less focused on money and status, so that a better quality of life is possible.

@kimmixerxs 1 year ago

Great topic, really interesting to watch and learn.

@brendamiller5785 1 year ago (edited)

This was very interesting. Thank you David and guests. I am retired, but I could never work until midnight just because my boss didn't want to go home. My free time/ family time is too important to me.
Canada 🇨🇦

@vaanshichauhan9868 1 year ago

I think here its reverse for questions. I mean it depends on who is asking. If its some coworker just chatting then its okay to ask either about family or dating but if ur boss suddenly asks u having bf or gf it will be very awkward

@donthireddysneha 1 year ago

As a team lead, I personally enjoy supporting local coffee shops, but buying coffee for a team of seven in New York can quickly add up it’s often around $50. That said, I would never expect a report or intern to pick up coffee or feel obligated to participate in after-hours activities. Their time outside of work is theirs to use as they wish. I don’t expect anyone to stay beyond office hours, and I fully support taking time during the day for things like doctor’s appointments. As long as the work gets done, I value autonomy and strongly dislike micromanagement.

@sechelt_island 3 months ago (edited)

49:11 For any social situation (e.g. employment, etc.) my motto is: "You don't get a second chance to make a good first impression. "

@broccoliaugratin 1 year ago

This is a great video, i have cousins that have worked for two of the largest South Korean companies in their Los Angeles office and they describe how they're forced to play golf with managers for money and they're not allowed to win and they have to give gifts to them on special occasions and it turned into a giving contest