Samsung Electronics semiconductor employee quits for bus driver job, citing 'performance bonus envy' and regional bias

A 29-year-old graduate who previously worked in Samsung Electronics' semiconductor division has become a topic of discussion after quitting his high-paying corporate job to become a city bus driver in Daegu. Lee Seung-jun, who appeared on the TV show 'You Quiz on the Block,' cited workplace stress and regional discrimination as primary reasons for his departure.

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What connects us, apart from our culture and the long, wonderful history that we have, is the social connections that we are able to form. But those same connections now move through platforms that can spread information faster than governments can respond.

Lee spent approximately six years at Samsung, earning a starting salary of around 50 million won (approximately $36,000 USD) with an additional 30 million won in performance bonuses annually. He acknowledged that financially, he lacked nothing. However, mounting anxieties about job stability and the pressures of the corporate culture led him to seek a different path.

"I saw bosses change multiple times and my doubts about stability grew," Lee explained. "During a period of consideration, I saw colleagues suddenly face forced resignations." He also described conflicting feedback from management, stating, "When I reported, they'd ask, 'You have years of experience, why are you asking about this?' but when I took initiative, they'd say, 'Why are you doing this without reporting?' I didn't know what to do."

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Hearing 'Are all people from Gyeongsang Province like this? Is it because you're from Gyeongsang Province?' made me feel the most disillusioned. It felt suffocating in the confined office space.

A significant catalyst for his resignation was discriminatory remarks from a superior. "Hearing 'Are all people from Gyeongsang Province like this? Is it because you're from Gyeongsang Province?' made me feel the most disillusioned," Lee recounted. "It felt suffocating in the confined office space."

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I didn't know what to do.

Despite the initial feeling of being a "dropout" after leaving a major corporation, Lee found greater happiness as a bus driver. He highlighted the significantly reduced stress compared to his previous job, noting the industry's strong emphasis on hierarchy is less pronounced. With a retirement age of 65, job security is also a major benefit. He mentioned that starting salaries for bus drivers in Daegu are around 50 million won, with recent increases in pay. Although his overall income has decreased slightly, Lee expressed that his current life satisfaction is much higher, allowing him to travel internationally every one to two months.

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During a period of consideration, I saw colleagues suddenly face forced resignations.