Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo

Author:Cho Nam-Joo
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: Liveright
Published: 2020-03-04T16:00:00+00:00

Jiyoung wanted to work at a food company, but applied to all companies above a certain size. She did not hear back from any of the forty-three she applied to. She then applied to eighteen smaller but stable places with consistent growth, and did not hear back from them, either. Hyejin sometimes made it to the aptitude test or interview round, but was not offered a position in the end. The two women started applying to every company that was hiring. Jiyoung sent in a cover letter with the wrong company name in it, and passed the application round for the very first time.

Only after Jiyoung was asked to come in for an interview did she look into what the company was about. It was a toy, stationery, and household accessories company that had recently undergone huge growth after negotiating a deal with celebrity agencies to print celebrity caricatures on products. Plush toys, planners, coffee mugs, and other unexceptional items were being sold for a huge profit. A company that steals pocket money from fan boys and girls? Jiyoung felt conflicted. She wasn’t sure if she wanted the job, but grew fonder of the company as the interview date drew nearer, and in the end sincerely wanted the job.

The night before the interview, Jiyoung practiced her interview skills with her sister late into the night. It was after 1 a.m. when she put on a thick layer of moisturizing cream and went to bed. She lay awake, blinking up at the ceiling, unable to even toss and turn lest the face cream get on her bedding. She dropped off before dawn and dreamed several dreams without endings. She woke up unbelievably tired, and her makeup didn’t come out right. On the way to the interview location, she fell asleep on the bus and missed her stop. She still had plenty of time, but hopped in a cab to avoid being lost and anxious right before an important task. The old cab driver with a flawless comb-over glanced at Jiyoung in the rear-view mirror and asked if she was on her way to an interview. She gave him a monosyllabic “yes.”

“I never take women for my first customer of the day. But I’m giving you a ride because I could tell you were going to an interview.”

Giving me a ride? Jiyoung thought for a moment whether he meant she was getting a ride for free, then figured out what he meant. Am I supposed to thank the on-duty driver for graciously letting me pay him for his services? Jiyoung didn’t know where to even begin, nor did she want to start an argument that would go nowhere, so she leaned back and closed her eyes.

The three candidates entered the interview room one after the other. The other two were also women of Jiyoung’s age. All three had a bob that came down to just below the ears, and wore pink lipstick and a dark gray suit. The interviewers looked over the

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