The Interview She Never Saw Coming
“How did the interview go?”
“It went well. Since it was an experienced-hire position, most of the questions dug pretty deep into practical work. If I pass today's round, the next step is an executive interview in about two weeks, and then the final gate—a CEO interview.”
“Im Ji-su, you're honestly amazing.”
After the long afternoon interview, Ji-su trudged toward home, phone pressed to her ear. Hearing Jae-gyeom praise her, she felt a quiet swell of pride, as though she'd truly accomplished something enormous.
She was on her way back from interviewing for an experienced-hire opening at a reasonably respectable investment firm, part of her full-scale push to reenter the workforce. Through a headhunter, she had also sent her resume out to a number of foreign investment firms. If all went well, a new job would be settled before the year ended, and come the new year she'd be a working woman again.
“Ji-su, I think I'll be starting work in Seoul around December first. Someone from my father's company came out here today and walked me through all the details.”
“Oh? Really?”
“The move will probably happen a bit earlier than that. Mid-November, maybe?”
“That's way faster than I expected. There's barely a month left!”
Not long ago, during one of their conversations, she had guessed that Jae-gyeom might come to Seoul next year as well. He had asked how much time was left on the lease of her studio apartment, then floated the idea of living together come the new year—which had left Ji-su blushing at nothing, all by herself. Alongside it came her own hazy daydreams: would they really be holding their wedding in the spring? And now, suddenly, his move to Seoul had leapt a full month closer.
“I haven't even finished winding things down at the auto shop, honestly. I was thinking about pushing everything back.”
“Mm.”
“But... since you're in Seoul, I decided it might be better to hurry. I miss you every day. I want to be with you. Even one day sooner.”
“...”
“Your face just went red, didn't it.”
“...Yeah.”
When she whispered her reply, her face burning as if it might burst, Jae-gyeom pressed further—our Ji-su is so cute when she blushes. I miss you. Whether with words or with touch, he always knew exactly how to set her ablaze in an instant.
“Sounds like you're home. Your voice is echoing.”
“I'm climbing the stairs now.”
“You've worked hard. Go in, wash up, and get some rest. And make sure you eat properly.”
“You too. I'll call you tonight.”
Living apart, each worried about the other's meals, they finally hung up. The moment Ji-su stepped through her door, she collapsed onto the floor. She'd been in heels all day, wound tight from morning to evening, and the instant she got home, every last bit of tension drained out of her. It wasn't exhaustion or gloom, though. Thanks to the good news from Jae-gyeom, her mood was, if anything, bright.
But alongside the brightness, a restlessness had taken root in her heart.
Her severance pay was still largely untouched, so she could have taken her time, living comfortably on her own while easing back into work. The reason Ji-su was rushing her job hunt was Jae-gyeom. She hated that he covered every single expense whenever they went on a date. And it wasn't just about the cost of dates.
She wanted them to be a partnership—two people solid enough to lean on each other. But in finance and in the investment arms of major conglomerates, open recruitment could drag on for months by the nature of the industry. That was why she'd belatedly applied to foreign firms as well... though now she regretted not having moved faster.
Still in her interview clothes, she flopped face-down onto the floor. She was checking email on her phone when she shot bolt upright.
“Huh? An interview offer?”
It was from a well-known headhunter. Pleased, she opened it at once.
“...Secretary?”
There was no detailed description of the duties, but the tone of the email was courteous and gracious enough. It said to contact them anytime if she was interested, and even included a direct line. Then there was the line that stirred her curiosity: a position unlike the 'secretary' work you may generally imagine, one we would confidently recommend to you, Ms. Im Ji-su. She dialed the number straight away.
Monday of the third week of October, 1:50 in the afternoon. Ji-su stood in the lobby of the Daeyun Group headquarters. The moment she told the reception desk on the first floor that she was there for her two o'clock interview, an employee who introduced herself as part of the executive secretarial office rode the elevator up with her. Despite the weather having turned distinctly chilly, Ji-su was so tense she barely noticed the cold.
Whew... I'm shaking. Of all places—the Daeyun Group, not just any mid-tier corporation.
At her pre-interview meeting with the headhunter the previous Friday, he had laid out just how attractive this position was.
“It's a completely different line of work from what you've done, Ms. Im. But my client is looking for exactly the kind of person you are. Young, capable, with deep academic grounding in finance and management—plus real hands-on experience.”
“You're too kind.”
“Not at all. I mean every word—this isn't flattery. Even though they're hiring a secretary, they specifically wanted someone who'd worked in finance or in the management division of a major corporation, rather than someone with a secretary's résumé. They say that knowledge is essential to supporting the boss they need to look after.”
In a nutshell: rather than a typical secretary who handled only scheduling and protocol, they wanted a supporter with practical expertise. When Ji-su remained half-convinced, unable to commit, the headhunter fired off the decisive blow—though it left her underwhelmed.
“It's double the salary you were earning at Jayang Asset Management. Base pay alone.”
“I... honestly, I'm not looking to raise my salary that much. I want pay that matches my abilities.”
Undeterred, the headhunter kept pressing to persuade her right up to the end. It was actually his counterpunch that landed.
“Besides, the client wants this filled quickly. As far as I can tell, they're hoping for a November first start date. A probation period of about a month, with full employee status beginning December first.”
Wanting to match Jae-gyeom's pace, Ji-su had been swayed by the words November start, full status in December—and so she had resolved to at least sit for the interview.
“Then... may I ask which company it is? So I can prepare for the interview accordingly.”
“Ah... at this stage, all I can tell you is that it's one of Korea's leading conglomerates. The client has emphasized confidentiality above all else. I'll let you know on the day of the interview.”
A cheerful chime announced the elevator's stop, pulling Ji-su out of her reverie. The Daeyun Group employee escorting her guided her to a conference room.
A male interviewer, well advanced in years, was waiting for her. For a dozen or so minutes, the conversation did little more than confirm the standard facts already written in her resume and cover letter.
“You've passed.”
“...I'm sorry?”
Not a single probing question had been asked—on what basis was he declaring her passed? More bewildered than happy or excited, Ji-su listened as the interviewer explained in a businesslike tone.
“As you may have gathered through the headhunter, we're looking for someone more hands-on than an ordinary secretary, which is why we've invested considerable care from the document screening stage onward. The interview I conducted may well have been a formality.”
“I... see.”
“This is a special position we've poured our utmost into filling, so we intend to proceed immediately to the second round, which will also serve as the final interview. Please follow me.”
That anyone would use the phrase poured our utmost over the hiring of a single junior employee left Ji-su utterly baffled—and she followed the man out.
They rode the elevator again, and their destination turned out to be the Office of the Chairperson of the Daeyun Cultural Foundation. Before opening the executive office door, the man who had been her interviewer briefed her on what came next.
“Ms. Im Ji-su. We'll be proceeding to the final interview now. The person conducting it will be Chairperson Jin Song-hwa, who heads the Daeyun Cultural Foundation.”
“I'm sorry—what?”
“I assume you're aware, but she is the wife of the Chairman of the Daeyun Group.”
It wasn't as though every citizen in the country was obligated to know the name of a chaebol family's matriarch, but a woman that famous was hard not to know. And besides, Ji-su had worked in the investment industry—there was no way she couldn't know the name of one of Korea's premier chaebol families, least of all those three syllables: Jin Song-hwa. An interview with the Chairman's wife... The tension that had settled within her came flooding back in an instant.
At his knock, the office door swung open, and the elegant matriarch she had only ever seen through media screens rose from her seat to welcome Ji-su.
“Ms. Im Ji-su? You're even lovelier in person. I'm delighted to finally meet you. Chief Secretary Cho—you may leave the rest to me. You can go now.”
The man called Chief Secretary Cho bowed at the waist and closed the door behind him. In the warm, fragrant space, only Ji-su and Mrs. Jin remained.
“Now that it's just the two of us, shall we introduce ourselves properly? I look forward to working with you.”
“It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Im Ji-su.”
To think the lady of the Daeyun Group would greet her with such a gentle, radiant smile, extending her hand for a handshake... Ji-su wiped her sweat-damp palm against her skirt and took the woman's hand.