Interview with developer from Korea: Eunmi Hong

※This article is machine translated.

Employment in Japan

How did you come to work in Japan?

I joined Cocone in Korea and came to Japan to help the head office in Japan because they were busy. I have been working in Japan ever since. Since that is how I came to Japan, I did not attend any particular school for Japanese, so I took Japanese language classes within the company once a week for about six months, with support from the company.

Cocone’s development positions

What do you gain from working with Cocone?

I was not originally a developer of the genre that Cocone makes, but after joining the company, I became involved in development and learned the skills.
I believe that Cocone has an atmosphere where people can learn naturally, even if they have no experience.
There are two main types of development positions: those who want to focus on development can concentrate on development, while those who want to be involved in the entire service can participate from the planning stage and have a bird’s eye view of the entire service.
I prefer to be involved in the entire service rather than just focusing on development, so Cocone’s approach suits me.

What is the atmosphere like among Cocone’s developers?

Overall, we get along well with each other. Even if you are on a different team, you can easily ask questions. At other companies, it would be difficult to go to the CTO to ask questions, but at Cocone, if you ask a question, everyone will respond, regardless of hierarchy.
We don’t have any particular kind of social gathering where all the engineers get together, but often when someone says ” I want pizza,” a few of us will get together and order it.

Cocone’s Work-Life Balance

What do you think about work-life balance?

I use all my paid time every year!
I think it is also important to have an environment where people can easily get paid and use it freely.
Regardless of the work situation, there may be various reasons to take time off, but I feel that perhaps in Korea there is still a culture that requires some kind of explanation, such as ” I’m sick and I’m going to the hospital. In Cocone, if a person wants to tell the reason why he/she is absent, he/she can do so, and simply saying ” I will be absent tomorrow” is acceptable in this environment.

My Life in Japan

How would you compare where you live to Korea?

I live in Kangdong-gu, but I think it is similar to Songdo in Incheon.
Besides the geographical location, the city seems to have a similar atmosphere with the convention center and airport, the proximity to the seaside, and the construction of several international exhibition halls and stadiums for the Olympics. I think it is a good city.

Are there any episodes in your life in Japan where you felt cultural differences?

I feel that in Korea, you have to be ready to get off the bus before the exit door opens and get off immediately. I like the fact that in Japan, you can get off the bus in a less hurried manner, getting up from your seat after the bus stops.
Korea has a culture of “hurry up, hurry up,” so if you stand at the bus stop and wait, the bus may just pass by.
I was a bit surprised that in Japan, they wait for the bus in front of them to disappear and stop exactly in time with the bus stop.

I love the bus culture, but there is one thing that is not good. I find it frustrating that the internet is not utilized much in government services. In Korea, I can print out my resident card and other documents for free. It was a bit difficult for me to go to the government office, fill out the forms, submit them, wait, and take 2-3 hours to complete the procedures in Japan, when I could do everything with just one cell phone.

Message to those who are seeking employment in Japan

I came to Japan by chance when I graduated from graduate school and started working, but my classmates’ friends went to Canada and so on…they are living away from Korea.
Although I did not come here by choice, I am glad I did. I am the type of person who values family connections, so for me it is great that I live within a distance where I can return home if I want to. I think Japan is a good choice for those who want to live abroad but feel that being far away from family is a burden.
Japan is number one in the world when it comes to security. Considering this, I think Japan is a good place for women.
What path he/she will take, what profession he/she wants to be or what future he/she wants to have is his/her own idea, but if he/she has to choose in terms of environment, I think Japan is the best place to do it.