Story of a Big Player from Gangnam (ENGLISH)

Chapter 3

After having a chicken leg and wings, Gun-Ho Goo asked Jong-Suk Park.

“Are you actually looking for a job?”

“I’ve been looking for a job online. There are lots of job openings, but it’s not easy to find a good company.”

“Why? Are you worried that you might pick a company that is soon going under?”

“That is one of the things I consider. I also cannot stand management power tripping.”

“Nothing much you can do about it. We are merely a factory worker.”

“You used to work for that kind of manager in a furniture company. And you ended up fighting with the nagging manager, and quit the job.”

“Hmm… that’s right. But it’s my loss. I have no skills for a job; I am just a low ranked college dropout.”

“Hey bro, I registered at the Career Center. I want to learn new work skills.”

“I’ve already done it because once I start working, I won’t have time to learn new skills. But that causes another problem; I won’t be able to make a living if I don’t work while I go to school to learn some skills.”

“The director at the CAD Learning Center told me that if you have the will to learn, then you can do it. Having no time is just an excuse.”

“Damn man! He should put himself in my shoes!”

“Speaking of learning things, you and me, we actually met in an educational institute in Noryangjin. It has been five years already.”

“I was surprised when I saw you there. I didn’t expect to see a bro from the neighborhood I used to live in.”

“I was so surprised as well. I never thought the person next to me having a cupped-rice would be you.”

“Bro, you used to do well in studying, didn’t you?”

“In Korea, if you don’t work for a big company or a government, you are not well respected. Hard to get married as well. At that time, I was running out of money after repeatedly failed the exam for three years.”

“Three years of preparation for that exam is normal.”

“I was not financially supported to keep taking the exam.”

“As you know already, I am not good material for study. It was my father who forced me to study for the civil service exam, so I could get the level-9 government job. That’s why I was in Noryangjin studying. I’ve tried ESL courses and etc., but I am just too dumb to study for the exam.”

“How is your father’s restaurant business doing in Incheon?”

“Not very good, these days. A new restaurant chain opened next to my father’s, and it is seriously affecting his business.”

“I see… I wanted to try that exam one more time if someone could support me for one year… I had to give up on my exam when I ran out of money and almost couldn’t afford food and to pay the rent. My family wasn’t doing well either.”

“I just don’t understand why old people like level-9 government jobs so much.”

“It is actually a good job. You work in a nice office wearing a suit. You don’t have to worry about not being paid. They provide you a good government pension. You don’t need old people to tell you how good it is to recognize the benefits. It is just hard to get it.”

“You must have some money saved up, right?”

“Nada. After I left Noryanjin, I worked in a plastic recycling plant located in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. I worked my socks off there for two years; I saved about 10,000,000 won (around $10,000). Around that time, I saw a sunshine loan advertisement and inquired about it. When they told me that as long as I have a job they would approve me for the loan, I quickly applied for it. I submitted proof of employment and tax document; I received the loan right away.”