On the morning of October 3, the last day of the so-called “golden holiday,” Choi Yeong-geun (65), a bus driver, is driving a maeul bus (village bus). Kim Song-yi

Around 10:30 a.m. October 3, the last day of the 6-day “golden holiday,” in a garage of one bus company in Guro-gu, Seoul, Bak (56), a bus driver with twenty years of experience, greeted a colleague at work who had been away during the Chuseok holiday. Bak drove the first bus out at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday morning and had transported passengers traveling to and from all corners of Seoul to spend the Chuseok holiday.

Bak said that the last time he had been to his hometown in Mokpo, Jeollanam-do was five years ago. Since public buses, “the citizens’ feet,” continue to operate during the holidays, it’s not easy for bus drivers like Bak to take leave. Bak said, “Since our route passes by several stations, I saw a lot of passengers heading home with their luggage and presents over the holiday,” and confessed that he sometimes wanted to take a break when everyone else took a break. He said, “I can rest if I take a leave of absence, but even that is not possible when we’re short on drivers,” and explained that it wasn’t easy for him to go on leave when considering the slow economy since he was paid by the hour.

Due to the alternative holiday, the nation enjoyed a longer holiday than usual, but not everyone could take advantage of the long holiday referred to as the “golden holiday.” From people who had to remain in their positions to let other people take a break like Bak to those who voluntarily and involuntarily had to go to worksites, there were people who continued to work throughout the nation even during the golden holiday.

Maeul buses (village buses) also ran without a break in all corners of Seoul during the holiday. Choi Yeong-geun (65), who drives the Guro-15 bus, worked every single day during the holiday. Choi said, “Normally, we’re short on drivers, so I only get to rest once a week, and it was the same during the holiday.” He added, “I’m alone and don’t have any family, so I just worked. I showed up for work telling the other drivers who wanted to rest take a break.”

Around 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, the platform of Sindorim Station on Seoul Metro Line 1 was packed with passengers going out and shopping. There A (62), a janitor, was busy moving throughout the station with a mop. A, who said she started work at 6 a.m. as usual, quickly mopped the black stain she discovered on the platform floor. She said, “I had Saturday off during the holiday. That’s my usual day off.” She further said, “Since it’s my job, I think it’s natural that I work during Chuseok.”

There were also people who willingly chose to work. They were mostly younger adults who suffered to make ends meet due to the soaring prices in the recession. Gim (24), a resident of Mapo-gu, Seoul who is looking for employment, worked part-time wrapping food at a restaurant for 12,000 won an hour instead of going to his hometown of Daegu. He said he earned a total of 180,000 won working three hours a day for five days from September 27 until October 2. Gim said, “When I don’t go home during a major holiday, I usually just rest or study. But this year, I thought I should try to earn what little money I could.”