Have you ever met someone that you've felt an immediate repulsion towards? So much that it made you want to crawl away and find a nearby gutter to puke in?
My name is Iseul Kim and I'm an attorney. Specifically I'm a corporate attorney at the most well known firm in Seoul, Gyunhyeong Law Firm. I'm 24 years old and I'm an INTJ.
I don't like to drink alcohol and I prefer chewier foods like tteokbokki over crunchier bites of kimchi and pickled radish.
I'm what you might consider a workaholic; I wake up at 4:30 am and sleep around 9:30, I eat mostly packaged foods that I can get for cheap at local grocery stores, and I spend more time at my desk than in my bed. I spent most of high school studying and did the same for college and law school. I wasn't close with any of my other fellow students, so we all drifted away shortly after graduation, but it wasn't so bad.
Now I'm a well established attorney who works at one of the best law firms in Seoul. Gyunhyeong law firm is a corporate law firm that handles businesses that decide to work with them by assigning them attorneys to work on their legal matter. It took me several cutthroat interviews to even get my resume looked at. Yet now as a working attorney at their law firm, it is nice to work with all of these people who are all interested in making the world a better place. But I guess the bigger benefit is definitely the money. The income is pretty great, especially for a job that isn't as physical as other jobs.
I guess you could say that I have it pretty great, and not to get cocky here, but I would probably agree with you. If it weren't for a pesky little cockroach, I can promise with certainty that I would be one of the happiest people alive.
It had all really begun on a Monday. Nothing good ever happens on a Monday and this was no different. I had just finished wrapping up one of the cases that I had been working on. For the last 8 months, I had been devoting my time to a case of disagreement between the financial consulting company that I represented and the customers who were unhappy with the service. Every single evening would mean another couple of hours devoted to paperwork that would be meaningless a day later due to the unpredictable nature of those running the consulting company. I swear they must've thought I was their secretary or something…
As I was filing the last of the paperwork for the case and beginning to look forward to a new project, I heard one of the paralegals call out my name, motioning me towards the Lead Defense Attorney's office. This could only mean one thing…
The inside of her office is starkly white and rather organized. Gold medals and certificates adorn the shelves. I lower my eyes and make eye contact with the head. Ms. Chung. The one who could defend anyone. She was well known in the world of law as a legend in the field. Her cases could make even the most practiced prosecutors sound like complaining children.
Yet she's not alone in the room. Standing in another corner is another woman. Her hair is tied in a low ponytail and curled back in waves. She's wearing an old fashioned blazer and dress pants that flare outwards. She's about 4 inches taller than me, maybe somewhere between 5'9 and 5'11. Her eyes are fixed on me and I return her stare with the same intensity. Just who does she think she is?
Ms. Chung clears her throat and my attention shifts back to her. Right, the case. "Ms. Kim, you've exceeded my expectations for your last case and I've taken the liberty to assign you to another company for your next assignment: but, before we discuss that, let me introduce you to someone. This is Hwang, Yerim— CEO of Cheongug Entertainment, one of the biggest entertainment companies in South Korea. The biggest idols, singers, and actors were all signed here."
I nod slowly, acknowledging the information coming to my head. Her name seems familiar, so I'm not surprised that she's a public figure. Ms. Chung continues, "You remember Jiwon, your co-counsel from your last case, right?"
It was hard to forget the headstrong and stubborn young intern who had captivated the hearts of every lawyer in the firm. I agreed, slightly confused as to why Ms. Chung was bringing her up.
"Well, I've just assigned Ms. Hwang's case to her and wanted you to assist her with the case. I also wanted you two to get well acquainted as I know that Jiwon may need it." Ms. Chung finished and I quietly process the information.
She assigns me a few small settlement cases to handle during the time and asks me to assist Jiwon whenever I can as her senior attorney. I assure her that I will do my best and that I will ensure that Jiwon can rely on me during her first case. Jiwon was an intern who we hired a few years ago, after which she graduated law school and began to work part time as a paralegal while she took her bar exams. She began to work here full time as an attorney around 2 years ago. So it makes sense that she would begin her first case today.
I am grateful for the lessened workload for right now, Jiwon could carry her own weight and I could guide her when necessary. This means no more overtime and more sleep. Yes… It's a win-win situation for me.
Snapping out of my daydream, I lock eyes with Ms. Hwang. Something about her smile makes me slightly uneasy, but it wasn't like we were going to see each other often anyways, right?