By Zephyria 
“Our DL Division is a newborn division, barely approaching its third anniversary. As such, it possesses the most uniquely open and innovative corporate culture among all of Taejang Electronics’ divisions.”
It was a voice so trustworthy that if he were selling floor wax, you’d be tempted to buy ten jars. While the content made Yi-ho think to himself, ‘What a load of bullshit…’ regarding his lover, the important executives nodded with proud faces, seemingly believing that this flattering rhetoric was genuinely true.
At this point, Yi-ho couldn’t help with the actual push, but it was his turn to play the role of the behind-the-scenes facilitator as a project partner. He tapped the arm of Team Leader Nam, who was sitting next to him.
“Wow, it looks like Team Leader Cha is planning something great. Don’t you—think so?”
“…….”
Team Leader Nam looked at Yi-ho and whispered with a serious expression.
“Team Leader Song, if you’re being blackmailed by Team Leader Cha, just tell me… I have enough loyalty to help you out to that extent.”
No, what are you even talking about?
While the hype-man’s attempt failed miserably, the presentation moved on to a proposal to promote the corporate image and showcase the DL Division’s unique internal atmosphere using the medium most familiar to today’s 10s and 20s. Another team leader took over the opinion and continued with a detailed explanation.
Thus, Min-gyu and Yi-ho’s idea came to look like a project jointly proposed by many. This had been shared with Yi-ho in advance. Since the goal was an outcome that overturned Executive Director Kim Jo-wook’s instructions, it was safer to expand the scale of the project rather than proceeding with just the two of them.
At some point, a man in the meeting room stood up and gave a standing ovation. It was Executive Director Kim Jo-wook.
“‘Walking Into the Company.’ A truly wonderful YouTube channel.”
Based on the success of leading channels, the number of YouTubers focusing on job experiences had increased frequently over the last two or three years.
“When did you say the filming date was?”
As Executive Director Kim Jo-wook showed an active response, Department Head Gye didn’t miss the opportunity to answer.
“The PR team will take the lead and coordinate the date as quickly as possible from now on.”
“Very well. Let me know as soon as the date is set.”
Min-gyu looked back at Yi-ho from in front of the screen. Their eyes met.
And so, the hidden project, Charming No. 02, officially began.
D-day approached quickly.
A black van stopped in front of the main gate of Taejang Electronics’ DL Division. Staff members holding GoPros and action cams stepped out first to set up the filming angles for the vehicle, and then a man stepped out of the car.
He was a retired baseball player who had appeared on various variety shows thanks to the wit he was famous for since his playing days, eventually transitioning fully into a YouTuber. Currently, he was active as a creator of a personal daily life channel and as a regular MC for the
Stepping onto the sidewalk, he put on an exaggeratedly boastful expression, dusting off his blazer or pretending to adjust his tie.
“What’s this? It’s an outfit I’ve never seen before.”
The PD behind the action cam asked in a friendly tone. This was where the YouTube variety filming truly began.
“I heard my role today is something like an Executive Director of a conglomerate? If it’s a chaebol family, I should at least look like this, right?”
In the edited version, large subtitles and CG were planned for this part. The content to be written in huge letters at the top was already decided.
[(Special) Walking Into the Company’s First Experience as a Conglomerate Executive (End)]
Then, footage of a chaebol male lead from a drama would cross-cut, overlapping with the image of the MC on the road.
“That’s right. The company I’m walking into today is ‘Taejang Electronics.’”
At the PD’s explanation, the MC clapped with an intoxicated expression.
“I mean, I’ve done dozens of episodes of ‘Walking Into.’ I’ve tried everything from production lines to service jobs, so I don’t even get nervous when I go to film anymore. But right now, I’m actually shaking a bit.”
“You’re an Executive Director, so you have to push through with momentum.”
“There’s a limit to someone born a commoner, kid. Still, for our subscribers, I’ll try to put some strength in my voice.”
The MC exchanged a few more lines to build anticipation before stopping two employees who were just about to enter the company building. Recognizing the MC, they accepted the interview with bewildered faces.
“Nice to meet you, fellow employee. I heard I’m reporting to Taejang Electronics today, so I dressed like this. Does it look okay?”
“If you ask me, it’s… okay, but we don’t really have a dress code and the atmosphere is to dress comfortably.”
“Clothing that’s comfortable for sitting at a desk would be better than a suit.”
In fact, the employees were wearing casual clothes, including wide-leg jeans and sweatshirts.
“Then, if there’s just one thing you wish for from the company?”
“Uh, uh… it can’t be just one thing…!”
As the employee flustered with a sincere answer, the MC burst into loud laughter. The employee carefully refined his words before answering.
“I wish they would understand the feeling of wanting to be alone sometimes!”
After finishing the pleasant interview that left a lingering impression, the MC entered the company building. There, he let out exclamations like, “The building is brand new,” and “Wow, the lobby is like a hotel.”
Then, he met the employee assigned to guide the filming in the lobby.
“Nice to meet you. I am Cha Min-gyu. I am in charge of marketing at Taejang Electronics’ DL Division.”
“…I didn’t think Taejang Electronics was like this, but this is a bit much.”
“Pardon?”
The marketing team leader looked bewildered at the MC, who had suddenly adopted a slouchy manner of speaking.
“Seriously, stop lying. You’re an actor brought in to play the role of a one-day team leader, right?”
“No, I am not.”
“Why are you at a workplace with a face like that? You should be on TV. The entertainment agencies our program has visited so far should reflect on themselves. They worked lazily and let a talent slip away to a company! Team Leader, don’t stay here, let’s go to the entertainment industry right now.”
The MC pointed his finger at the camera. Only then did the marketing team leader relax his bewildered face and thank him, before suddenly realizing something and saying:
“But, if the Executive Director is suggesting I change jobs, I…”
“Ah, right. I’m the Executive Director today.”
Hearing the hasty correction, the marketing team leader let out a short laugh. The PD and camera staff capturing the scene whispered that because he was handsome, he looked really great on screen. The MC told the team leader that he would speak informally from now on, and the latter readily agreed.
“The DL Division is a division that was created only three years ago. Therefore, it is a combination of the image of a conglomerate that Taejang Electronics already possesses and the image of a startup that is refining its systems one by one.”
“Oh, right. Since I’m the Executive Director, I’ve been to other parts of the Taejang Group, and the atmosphere is completely different. I wasn’t exactly intimidated from the morning, but anyway.”
“I was also very surprised when I was assigned here.”
“But the strange thing is, the employees I met earlier said the dress code at Taejang is very free. But our Team Leader Cha’s clothes are sharp as a knife?”
“Ah, teams that frequently have meetings with external partners tend to dress formally. Freedom should not compromise responsibility.”
“I heard Team Leader Cha is dressing up more because he’s dating.”
“Uh…”
At the PD’s sudden interjection, a hint of shyness appeared on his handsome face. He blurred his answer by simply nodding, but the smile spreading across his face looked as if he couldn’t help but add a word.
“What, is it an office romance? In a sacred workplace?”
“I am, of course, doing the work I need to do, Executive Director. I work harder because I want to look cool to my partner.”
“Wow, nice. Compared to when I used to exercise, this is an unimaginable atmosphere.”
“Executive Director, did you exercise? I had no idea.”
“Ah, right. My Executive Director persona hasn’t fully kicked in yet… Ahem, well, it’s a bit of both.”
Seeing him deftly shift the topic away from his romance, the MC evaluated him internally, thinking, ‘Oh, look at this guy?’ Just then, the elevator opened. He pointed inside the glass doors.
“This is the floor where I work. With the end of the rainy season, the layout was overhauled and it was given the new name ‘Creative Space.’”
Following the team leader’s guidance, the filming crew looked around the space where wide tables were arranged.
“Oh, it’s like a university library. Or maybe a foreign IT company.”
“Yes. It is the space where we attempt the most diverse changes. Do you feel a difference from the offices you’ve seen so far?”
As he spoke while naturally touching the table, that part inevitably caught the eye first.
“There are no partitions here.”
“That’s correct. Opinions regarding a ‘partition-less office’ arose, so we’ve been trying it out since a month ago.”
As the word ‘partition’ left the team leader’s mouth, a few people focusing on their work showed a flinching reaction.
The camera filmed various parts of the office. The MC expressed admiration, saying it was quite novel, but two of the filming staff muttered, “Ugh, maybe for a day or two, but working here would be impossible…” There were quite a few backs of heads that silently nodded upon hearing those words.
“I guess it’s not particularly welcomed?”
“I believe it’s a matter of divided preference.”
“What is your opinion, Marketing Team Leader? The partition-less office.”
“Executive Director, please speak comfortably.”
“Gasp, I did it again! Ah, this isn’t easy. So, what is your opinion?”
After loosening the atmosphere a bit, he answered the question.
“Since I’m an old-timer, it’s still difficult for me to adapt. I must try harder.”
“You look the youngest among all the team leaders I’ve seen, what do you mean ‘old-timer.’ Fine, then shall we try interviewing a young employee?”
While scanning the interior, the MC found a target.
“Young man! Ah, this is more like a Chairman level than an Executive Director… Anyway, introduce yourself.”
A man with brown hair and round eyes bowed his head and then looked up.
“Hello.”
His eyes, unable to face the camera, wandered aimlessly around the wall behind the staff.
“I am Song Yi-ho, the Development Team Leader.”
“Wait, he’s a team leader too? I called him thinking he was a new recruit. They make someone a team leader at this age?”
“Pardon? I’m thirty-three…”
The same age…. The development team leader’s fingertip pointed toward the marketing team leader. Not only the MC, who was supposed to give an exaggerated reaction, but the staff’s eyes also widened.
“Am I going to get caught for a scripted broadcast? Subscribers these days are sensitive about this stuff.”
“He is indeed a thirty-three-year-old development team leader, so that won’t happen.”
The marketing team leader gave a quiet assurance. The MC slid over to the development team leader’s seat.
“Then, could you perhaps show me what kind of work you do?”
At that, the development team leader stiffly blocked the screen.
“I am in charge of software development. It’s difficult to show the code due to security…”
“Even though I’m the Executive Director?”
“…That is, according to the rules, employees are not allowed to film the screen.”
“Then please explain as much as possible.”
“Ah, yes. What the development team is currently doing is…”
After that, the development team leader’s words were edited to be fast-forwarded in the video.
“Right, right. Then the final question. Regarding the partition-less office…”
“Executive Director.”
The marketing team leader gave him a short hint.
“Ah, right. I came to hear the opinion of a young friend. The youngest in the development team? Is the youngest here? Hand up!”
On one side, a man wearing glasses hesitantly raised his hand. The MC approached him.
“This person definitely looks like a baby. So, fellow employee, how do you feel about using a partition-less office?”
The employee blankly looked around his team. Everyone was working like turtles with their necks shrunk, building walls on their desks as much as possible with their own belongings. In the midst of this, they occasionally glanced at the youngest with faces full of expectation. The 20-something, who had nothing to fear, gathered a bit more courage.
“We are people who are closer to computers than to people…”
It was the most cheerful voice in the development team, but it was a consistently developer-like answer. This, too, was planned to be an interesting editing point.
After touring the company overall, the MC and filming staff turned off the cameras and took a short break. The MC, who had been laughing heartily, smacked his lips as soon as he entered the meeting room with only the familiar staff.
“Seems like a flop, right?”
“Ah, I agree. Ha… it’s more boring than I thought.”
Entering a conglomerate with an Executive Director concept was good, but in the end, a company is a company, and scenes that differentiated it from other places didn’t come out as much as expected.
Especially that guy, Team Leader Cha Min-gyu.
“He really should have been an actor. It feels like not even a needle could pierce him.”
Whenever the MC suddenly crossed the line and asked a rude question, he dodged it skillfully. Even when a situation was intentionally created to make him flustered, it was only a pretense.
“But doesn’t he really look like someone? Not an actor, but among celebrities…”
“All handsome people look alike, whatever.”
“I guess, but something feels familiar.”
“Anyway, how do we save this? I feel like we need to do something big at the end!”
“But there is a subject that will definitely blow up the comments. That partition-less office on the 7th floor.”
“Yeah, the reaction was bad from the moment you guys entered, right? Isn’t it harmonious and nice? Is it not?”
“Really? I mean, there are times when I need to focus to edit. Honestly, it felt like a ‘boomer-style MZ’ scene. Young people actually value their private time; they absolutely hate being exposed like that.”
“Oh…”
“But I think I know who made that. There’s a famous Executive Director here who uses SNS a lot…”
“Really?”
The MC nodded while listening to the following explanation.
The final scene of
“I’ve come to return the title you lent me today.”
“Oh, already?”
“Yes. Ah, thanks to you, I got to walk around saying things like, ‘You, introduce yourself.’”
“That’s not it. The corporate culture here is basically horizontal, so I also call people ‘-nim’ and use honorifics. Let’s sit.”
Flattering praise followed, saying it was a corporate atmosphere created by an open mind.
On the other hand, he could now understand what the PD meant by the ‘pretending to be young but subtly boomer’ tendency….
“Now then, MC-nim, production crew. Please tell me anything you found disappointing about the company, regardless of what it is.”
To say there was nothing here would surely make the viewers outside the screen find his attitude boring. The viewers of this channel watched the videos for the catharsis of touring a company and delivering a sharp, piercing critique to a high-ranking person.
“Everything was great, but there was just one thing that bothered me.”
“Oh, what would that be?”
“The open-type office without partitions.”
“…Why is that?”
“Seeing you get a bit defensive, was it perhaps your idea, Executive Director…?”
“…No, it’s about incorporating the opinions of the members and trying various things.”
“Actually, the reaction among our young PDs was the worst!”
“Aha…”
The tail of that exclamation was exceptionally long.
“The DL Division is a place where various technology-related ideas must emerge, so it could be different.”
“Oh, so you’re saying you agree with the partition-less office, Executive Director.”
“Of course, it can change at any time depending on the thoughts of the members. We prioritize everyone’s opinion above all…”
“Then we will listen to the opinions of our subscribers on that part.”
“Good. I will check the comments as well.”
“You seem really confident, Executive Director.”
“Because I am also one of the subscribers. I know exactly what the opinion will be.”
The Taejang Electronics episode of
The ‘Most Replayed Scene’ was ranked as the first appearance of the marketing team leader, and the hottest topic in the comments was the ‘partition-less office.’
The #1 idea that should be erased from Korea, we should use the removed partitions to bash their heads, I’d rather have an old boomer because young boomers have the execution power to make it even worse, anyone who thinks this looks good is insane, this video and these comments should spread widely to serve as a negative example for CEOs.
Comments that swept away a month’s worth of accumulated frustration for the employees beautifully decorated the bottom of the video.
Two hours after the video was uploaded, a new post appeared on the intranet.
[Notice] Regarding the installation of partitions in the 7th-floor office.
I did it.