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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Business
Jenna Zaza

‘I feel completely drained’: young professionals swamped by ‘infinite workdays’

An illustration showing a person sitting at a work desk going round and round
This traditional work culture is disillusioning gen Z as 94% prioritize work-life balance over climbing the corporate ladder, per a Deloitte research Composite: The Guardian/Getty Images

It is 10pm in Seoul, South Korea, but Hyun Jin Lee is not heading home. The recent college graduate – an employee in the IT industry – is at a mandatory team dinner.

“I end up working late almost every day,” laughs Lee. “By the end of the day, I feel completely drained, like I’ve used up all my energy [and] I can’t really do anything on weekdays after work.”

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