A Regular Korean Office Worker Became a CEO — Here Are 4 Brutal Truths He Learned

With Korea's job market tightening and burnout culture at an all-time high, more salaried workers are fantasizing about going independent — this post resonates because it's honest about both the terror and the reward, without sugarcoating either. The relatable mix of growth, scammers, lawsuits, and hair loss jokes hit the sweet spot of Korean internet humor and sincerity.

In Korea, where lifetime employment at a stable company is still considered the gold standard, one ordinary salaryman made the terrifying leap to start his own business — and he's sharing exactly what hit him hardest. His post on Clien (a popular Korean tech and lifestyle community forum) struck a nerve with thousands of readers who are either dreaming of doing the same or quietly relieved they haven't.

**1. Every day is anxiety — but the growth is insane**

The biggest perk of being a salaried employee in Korea is also its biggest trap: stability. After 8 years at the same company, he realized he was becoming stagnant — a "stale pond," as Koreans say — and quit without a real plan. The result? The 8 months since going independent have taught him more than his entire 8-year career combined. When your survival literally depends on every decision you make, your brain kicks into a whole different gear. His advice to anyone feeling stuck: go independent. His other advice: start buying hair loss medication now, because the stress *will* come for your scalp.

**2. You stop wasting energy on pointless drama**

Back in the office, he'd burn emotional energy on workplace politics, petty conflicts, and interpersonal tension — the kind of low-level stress that's almost invisible until you're out of it. As a CEO, that kind of emotional spending feels like a luxury he simply can't afford. Every minute spent resenting someone is a minute not spent figuring out his next revenue stream. The result is a strange, almost cold clarity — what Koreans call *pyeongjeongsim* (평정심), or equanimity. He finally understands why "don't ride the emotional rollercoaster" is considered a core trait of any good leader.

**3. Once you feel real ownership, you actually want to give back**

When he was salaried, any mention of charity or donation was met with an internal "I'm barely surviving myself, why would I?" — even though he was earning decent money. But now, having built something with his own hands, he feels a genuine gratitude toward the world that's making him *want* to contribute. It's not that he's suddenly rich — it's that the experience of struggling and succeeding on his own terms has made him more aware of how much he's been given. He's hoping to make a small donation soon.

**4. You have to know everything — taxes, marketing, HR, logistics, all of it**

In a corporate job, you own your lane and that's it. As a CEO, you own every lane simultaneously. Tax filings, marketing strategy, supply chain, labor law — if you don't understand the full picture, you'll make the wrong call when a crisis hits. The learning curve is brutal at first, but once the whole system starts clicking, running a business becomes genuinely thrilling. For anyone who considers themselves a multitasker or a fast learner, he says: this world is for you. The sense of accomplishment is unlike anything else.

**Bonus (added later): The world is full of scammers, and he found out the hard way**

He filed a *gapryuyu* (가압류) — a legal asset freeze order — today. Yes, he's been scammed, and yes, he's now in the middle of actual litigation. He also had a moment of humility watching people criticize business owners who drive luxury company cars, realizing for the first time just how much tax someone has to pay before that becomes possible. His closing message: to every fellow CEO on Clien who's been through all this before him — he has nothing but respect. "How on earth did you all survive this?" 😂