Chapter 7

"An apartment?"

"Yes, generally speaking."

"For this area in Gangnam, you'd have to look at prices below 20 billion won, almost none exist..."

"Oh, how much?! 20 billion won?"

"Yes."

"How many pyeong?"

"Well, since you asked generally, I'm talking about around 35 pyeong."

What? What is this guy talking about?

How can a 35 pyeong apartment cost 20 billion won?

It sounds like a joke.

In 30 years, my salary hasn't even doubled, but the house prices have increased tenfold, fifteenfold or more... Is that even possible...?

"But, isn't Jung Daeri's salary just under 50 million won?"

"Yes."

"Then how can an apartment cost 20 billion won?"

"That's because it's in Gangnam, so it's like that. In other areas, it's a bit cheaper."

"How cheap?"

"Well, in this area, you might be able to get a decent place for around 10 to 12 billion won, but it would be hard to find a new one."

Is this guy really joking with me?

"But, if the house prices in this area are around 10 to 12 billion won, how do people buy houses?"

"How do they buy them? They can't buy them."

I was speechless for a moment because the person from the HR department of a large company said it so matter-of-factly.

"Or they really go all out, borrowing as much as they can, like gambling."

"Go all out?"

"Yes, borrowing as much as they can, even their soul. There's no other way to buy a house."

Buy a house with your soul?

"Is this really a rude question... Then, does Jung Daeri own a house?"

"Me? How could I own a house? Of course not. I live in a rental."

"Can I ask how old Jung Daeri is?"

"I'm 33."

I thought he looked quite young, but he's actually older than I expected.

"Did Jung Daeri join the company a bit later than others?"

"Me? No, I joined earlier than my university classmates."

"But you're 33?"

"Yes."

"And you're in your second year as a Daeri."

"Yes."

Shouldn't a 33-year-old be a manager by now?

"How old were you when you joined the company?"

"I joined at 29."

"Is that early?"

"Hey, you can't compare me to a manager."

"No, no. I'm asking if joining at 29 is generally considered early."

If you enter university at 20, and for men, subtract 3 years for the military, you should be 26, and ideally, get a job by 27.

If you're 28 or 29, it's considered late.

That's the norm.

"Look, Manager."

"Yes."

"You enter university at 20. But in Korea, men have to serve in the military."

"Yes, I know."

"How do you remember such things? Anyway, back then it was 20 months."

"Military service?"

"Yes."

Military service for 20 months?

"But you have to take a leave before and after joining the military. When you return, you're already 24. And you have to go abroad for language study at least once."

"..."

"Subtract one year, and you're 25 in your second year. If your family is well-off, it's different, but otherwise, you have to take another leave to earn tuition. And internships? Nowadays, people do internships two or three times before joining a large company. By the time you graduate, men are 27 at the earliest, and on average, 28 or 29."

"But you said you joined at 29, which is earlier than your university classmates?"

"Hey, I'm really worried."

"About what?"

"I don't know what to say when the HR manager says such things."

"..."

"Have you heard of the 1318 generation?"

"The 1318 generation?"

"Graduates spend 13 months preparing for jobs, and on average, they stay in their first job for only 18 months. That's why they're called the 1318 generation. This is the average situation for job seekers in this country."

"What are job seekers?"

"Job preparers."

Why do university graduates need to prepare for jobs?

If you graduate from university, companies should be competing to hire you.

"This is the current average in South Korea, Manager. It's not absolute, so just for reference. It varies by industry, field, and company size. The average age for men to get a job in South Korea is 31.3, and for women, it's 29.8."

"..."

"So, I'm on the early side."

Can I really believe this?

I don't understand at all.

"Then, Jung Daeri."

"Yes."

"If the average tenure in the first job is only 18 months, what's the average retirement age?"

"It's set at 63, but it's meaningless. How many people work until retirement? About 10%, and it varies by industry. In our company, most managers retire around 50."

"..."

"Phew..."

"Why? It doesn't seem funny at all."

"No, it's not the content that's funny, but the situation is... interesting."

"The situation?"

"I've worked with you for almost 6 months, and in these few minutes, we've had more HR-related conversations in the car than in the past 6 months."

I have nothing to say.

The statement that Korea is a boring, too comfortable, and too easy place to live is canceled.

I'm glad I didn't say that in front of Jung Daeri.

* * *

Why do you use so many non-regular employees?

When we arrived at the village where Jung Hoon lives alone.

It seems like the term "village" is appropriate.

It's a very exotic and unfamiliar residential area to me.

First, there was a security booth at the entrance of the residential area, similar to a tollgate on a highway.

Jung Daeri parked the car right in front of it, and after a beep sound, the tollgate barrier lifted, allowing entry.

"What was that just now?"

"What do you mean?"

"I heard a beep sound. The barrier lifted after that sound, right?"

"Oh, that. This is it, this."

Jung Daeri pointed to a small sticker on the front windshield of the car.

"This is like a key. The barrier just verified that your car is a resident of this townhouse."

"Townhouse. You call this a townhouse?"

"Yes, it's a bit different from an apartment. It's more like individual detached houses."

This is where Jonggangyang was 30 years ago.

Who would have thought such a residential area would be built on this expensive land?

I didn't have the courage to ask Jung Daeri how much these houses cost.

I can't afford to feel any more deprived.

The 3-story houses, all identical, stretched out.

Each house had a garage door on the first floor, and Jung Daeri started to push the car into one of them.

Then, he took out a small device similar to a car key from the sun visor and pressed a button towards the garage door like a TV remote control. The garage door lifted and opened.

Surprisingly, the open garage was quite spacious, and inside, there were three more cars that looked much more expensive than the ones we saw on the way from the hotel.

"This building... is one house, right?"

"Yes, one household."

"So, these cars are all... mine?"

"Yes."

"And I used to drive these cars to work, changing them every now and then?"

"...Yes."

At this point, I no longer felt any resentment or anger towards Jung Hoon or his father, Hong Jun.

If I were still alive and still Hong Jun's father, I would have disowned him on the spot after receiving such a shock.

Even if I don't understand this world and how it works, it's clear that raising a child like this is wrong.

"Do you remember the password?"

When we arrived at the front door, Jung Daeri asked me.

"Password? What password?"

"Wait a moment. Ah! Luckily, fingerprint recognition works."

Fingerprint recognition?

"Manager, here. Put your thumb here."

There was a device with numbers on it, like a cordless phone, attached to the doorknob. Jung Daeri told me to place my finger in the small groove below it.

I did as he said, and a click sound was heard, followed by a smooth metallic sound from the doorknob.

"You can open the door like this."

"Oh... So, my finger is the key now."

I, Son Jung-gil, am embarrassed to be so flustered by this new technology.

"Should I change the password for you, just in case?"

"Change the password?"

"Yes, it's possible to change it from inside."

I thought for a moment and then shook my head.

"No, just leave it."

I don't know when I'll leave this body, and I can't cause confusion for Jung Hoon after I'm gone.

He said I can open the door with my thumb, so there's no need to change anything.

The inside of the house was a mess, making it hard to hide my embarrassment in front of Jung Daeri.

What's the point of having a big house if the inside is a mess?

"Ha..."

I couldn't help but sigh.

Fortunately, my wallet was on the dining table.

"..."

The bills look different.

Is this toy money or what?