Hoesik Explained: Korean Work Dinners Have Changed (But They Haven’t Disappeared)

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It’s 7:30pm on a Thursday, sometime around 2012. I’ve just walked out of the office after another long day — not because the work required it, but because leaving before your boss was still one of those unwritten rules nobody questioned. My team leader is already on the phone with the restaurant. “Samgyeopsal place, the … Read more

A Day in the Life of a Korean Office Worker (It’s Not What You Think)

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7:00 AM. The alarm goes off. I know I should get up. I don’t. I hit snooze for ten more minutes. The second alarm hits at 7:10, and now there’s no negotiating — I have to move. My wife and daughter are still asleep. They don’t need to be up until 8:00. My daughter’s 7, … Read more