Employee No. 9

by Kim Hye-jin, Jamie Chang (Translator)

◆榮獲 第28屆「大山文學獎」◆入圍2021年YES24網路書店青年作家&「今日之書」◆《韓民族日報》、《京鄉新聞》推薦好書讀者盛讚：「高度呼應現實，彷彿我就是主角本人！」【關於本書】作者金惠珍以冷靜的筆調，刻畫了一個殘酷卻失語的故事。當一名平凡的勞動者面對變相逼退員工、不當解僱等勞資紛爭，他對工作的信念從期許、奮鬥、掙扎、乃至絕望，最終走向毀滅。而讓勞動者如此受盡折磨的，或許從來都不是無情的公司或競爭的社會，而是他們難以確保的未來。從9號的遭遇，我們也會看見在工作崗位上認真打拚的自己，重新省思關於「勞工與公司」、「勞動與人生」的核心意義。【名人推薦】專文推薦──盧郁佳（作家）共鳴讚譽──姜泰宇（敷米漿）（作家）張瀞仁Jill （作家）（依首字筆畫排序）「本書有韓片《寄生上流》社會主義者的傲骨，也有韓劇《我的大叔》詩人的愁緒低迴。善良的窮人弱弱相殘，踩進被人洩恨的位置，讓制度一視同仁地傷害多數。」──盧郁佳「一本掙扎之書，身為工人的我，跟著9號，想想自己。也許世界就是一個牢籠，而我們距離牢籠太近太近，感同身受，也在故事裡越陷越深。」──姜泰宇（敷米漿）【內容說明】工作這玩意，最後就會把人搞成這樣。只是沒人知道，讓自己逐漸變成另一個人的東西，它的真面目，究竟是什麼。工作能換來金錢，支撐懷抱的夢想，支付現實的關卡。當工作搖搖欲墜，我的人生，是否還有突圍的可能？從出社會就在電信公司擔任技工的9號，相信公司、相信工作，相信自己擁有的技術與勤懇的態度，能換來一個安穩的人生，──直到公司要求他自請離職。9號不是沒有反抗過，他也曾與工會站在一起，為權益高聲吶喊，最後卻只是被推擠到更偏遠的鄉下，被各種刁難，被迫無所事事。上有長輩要奉養、下有即將上大學的兒子，還有一幢背著貸款的房子，他不想也不能退休！他只能「相信」公司，無論他必須做什麼……在無人知曉的小村裡，9號的工作是要在這立起一座座巨大的電塔。但在那之前，9號的工作，是對抗阻擋電塔建設的村民。「你是公司的狗嗎？沒有自己的想法嗎？為什麼在這裡折磨老人家！」「我跟你說啦，我根本不知道我在做什麼，也沒必要知道。我是這家公司的員工，公司叫我做什麼我就做，難道錯了嗎？」9號早已感受不到任何情緒，也放棄思考自己究竟在做什麼？為什麼無法放手？為什麼要放任自己不斷沉溺，將人生打成死結……【韓國讀者好評】＃引人深入探問「工作為何物」的傑作！＃令人哀傷，這是我的故事，也是身邊的人的故事。＃沉鬱，卻引發諸多思考的小說。＃高度呼應現實，彷彿我就是主角本人，一口氣讀到了最後。＃這可能是以九號以外的匿名存在的，你我的故事。＃公司的政策隨著時代改變，一名員工卻無法因應變化，奮力掙扎。為了薪水、為了能繼續工作，他成了一個讓自己感到陌生的人。而我，正逐漸變成什麼樣的人？＃我們都是被不知名的惡魔操控的犧牲者。我無法批判主角，只想痛批那個橫行霸道的公司。更想對主角說一句溫暖的話──「往後，請您要幸福。」【作者簡介】金惠珍（김혜진）1983年生於大邱。2012年以短篇小說〈小雞快跑〉入選《東亞日報》新春文藝，踏入文壇。2013年，以描寫街友的長篇小說《中央站》，榮獲第5屆「中央長篇小說文學獎」。2017年，韓國民音社以包含文學性、多樣性、開創性為宗旨，推出「今日青年作家」系列，發掘能帶領韓國文學未來的新秀。《關於女兒》便收錄於此系列中，深刻描寫不同世代女性所面臨的困境與迷惘，榮獲第36屆「申東曄文學獎」，也成為繼《82年生的金智英》後最受關注的女性小說；2020年，以《9號的工作》獲得第28屆「大山文學獎」。另著有短篇小說集《魚肥》。

208 pages, Paperback

Expected publication August 25, 2026

About the author

Kim Hye-jin was born in Daegu, Korea, in 1983. She debuted in 2012 when her story ‘Chicken Run’ won Dong-A Ilbo’s Spring Literary Award. She won the Joongang Novel Prize for Joongang Station, and the Shin Dong-yup Prize for Literature for Concerning My Daughter.

Reviews

[seo eun Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Money can make people monsters.

[Paul Fulcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a few years, Juno would have a job of his own. He would stumble across something we would be inexplicably drawn to, and when that think turned into his work, he would learn just how much change it would bring. Continuing to do things he didn't enjoy or want in order to do the work he did want, he would watch as the work changed him.

10년 뒤, 15년 뒤. 준오도 자신의 일을 갖게 될 거였다. 그러니까 자신도 모르게 이끌리는 어떤 일을 발견하게 될 거였다. 그러나 그것이 진짜 일이 되는 순간, 얼마나 많은 것들이 바뀌어버리는지 아이도 알게 될 거였다. 그 일을 지속하기 위해, 바라지도 않고 원하지도 않는 일을 계속하면서 자신이 어떤 사람으로 바뀌어버리는지 깨닫게 될 거였다.

Employee No. 9 is Jamie Chang's translation of 9번의 일 by 김혜진 (Kim Hye-jin).

The novel is told from the close third person perspective of someone who has worked as a repairer/installer/maintainance man for 26 years, a firm he joined when it was small, and while now a large corporation, one he is proud to work for.

He's 10 years from scheduled retirement, and keen to work it. However, the company is changing, with new managers and even security guards without a sense of the company's history or his contribution.

There's no smoking everywhere on the premises now.
The man took a long drag, held it in deep, then put out the cigarette.
Why on earth would they hire a kid who knows nothing about this place?
The man and his coworkers had been smoking there for years. The NO SMOKING sign had gone up ages ago, but no one had ever paid attention to it. The man realized there would be no such leniency over anything from here on. People who might have shown such understanding were gone now.

And the company offers him and other long-serving employees generous severance terms - but which he refuses to take.

The firm put him through performance reviews (where he is judged on irrelevant skills such as sales), retraining programs and post him to various, often pointless and/or unpleasant, roles around the country, where he is forced to live away from home for extended periods. But he refuses to quit - and comes to the realisation that's it's because he wishes to retain agency:

He didn't have it in him to explain why he wanted to stay at this company, despite being tempted to quit dozens of times a day. What was he trying not to lose by going to such extremes, and was it working? He couldn't tell.
But the one thing he could say with certainty was that no one was forcing him into this situation. This was his choice-that much he could say.

A very quick and, in literary terms, simple read but one which particularly resonated for me.

[Nicki Markus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Employee No. 9 was a quick read but one that really stuck with me in its portrayal of working life for an employee in a large firm whose higher-ups are determinedly trying to oust him. Despite the company's best efforts, the man keeps hanging on, accepting demotions and pay cuts, impossible tasks and meaningless positions, all in an effort to continue with the work he's loved for years and to support his family. Naturally, there is a lot of social commentary in this work, but at its heart is the story of an individual trying to do his best despite the odds stacked against him. I am giving it 4.5 stars.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

[Willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

火车上看完了这本书，作为一个打工者，无法不引起共鸣。工作中有诸多困境，来自于业务，来自于人，来自于无奈，来自于故意，深陷困境，何去何从。我也如同书中的9号一样对工作、对公司、对领导、对同事有着乐观的希望，因为在职场的第一个十年感受到了快乐和成长，成就了我的职业底色。但是，当我逐渐感受到恶意，时不时感受到那种刺痛，我才开始反省，是不是待错了地方跟错了人。是的，也许希望和痛苦都是工作的本质，也是社会的本质，感谢作者，如她在关于女儿中温柔地展现生活和活着之痛般，再次向我揭示活着的痛苦和矛盾、生命价值选择的探讨。

[Lay Tyng · Rating 4 out of 5]

工作占据了人生三分之一的时间，我们怎么可以不好好探讨这个课题呢？书里有一句话 ，看似简单但却很深奥，大概意思是工作是为了生活，不是活着为了工作。现实社会有多少人投入了多于三分之一的时间给予工作，又有多少人把公司视为一生荣耀。到最后他们都怎样了呢？工作中的我们很容易因外界的认可、荣誉、金钱等，忘记了工作与自己的关系。你最后一次审视自己身为工作者和你工作的关系是什么时候？

[Hong Ha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Khi đã gắn bó với một nơi quá lâu, người ta trở nên không còn muốn thay đổi nữa. Miếng cơm manh áo chỉ là một trong số lý do, sự mất lòng tin vào chính mình, một nỗi sợ hãi mơ hồ hay đơn giản chỉ vì muốn tận mắt chứng kiến quyết định hắn đưa ra sẽ đi tới đâu… khiến hắn chẳng thể nào bỏ việc. Công việc làm biến chất con người dù ít dù nhiều nhưng rốt cuộc sâu xa vẫn là do chúng ta lựa chọn.