would like to hear some updated info on what the lifestyle is like working in banking in Asia. Have had friends do summers at EB/BBs in HK with consistent 9am-3am weeks and lots of facetime culture, which sounds much worse than even the US sweatshop offices. What have your experiences been like?
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Did a 6-month off-cycle internship at a European BB’s Seoul (Korea) office a year ago. - Typical working hours: 9:30am-3am (i went to office at like 10ish since none of the analysts were there before 10) - The hours get a lot worse when there are multiple live deals (think 10am-5am, or worse) - At the firm I interned at, the seniors expected the juniors to be at office at least 6 days a week (But not uncommon at all to be called into office on Saturday afternoon) - Facetime: yes there was a lot of facetime - But I know for a fact that GS/BAML’s hours are a bit better than the rest of the BB’s (at least in Korea) - Would be happy to answer any questions you might have
r u korean?
yeah
That sounds like complete hell lol.
Are you still looking to pursue investment banking in Korea?
Yeah. Frankly there’s nothing else to do here in Korea for Non-STEM majors lol
3am sounds not too bad for Seoul office...
When I was in BB in HK, I have heard and seen many horror stories... 5am with like half of the juniors still online
And one PE (forgot the name) in Korea, founder returned office during 10/11pm to pick up some stuff.. complained why the office is empty and asking everyone to stay till 2am Friday and Saturday
Pretty sure this is S__Partners lol..
jeez, how did you push through it? hours sound brutal. was it nonstop work or more waiting around for comments?
You would be impressed by pitchbooks coming out from Korean offices. Easily 100+ pages. Their RFP is easily 400-600+ pages (Korean bros can comment on it) because culturally the thicker the better.
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I heard in Korean culture if a senior person asks you out for drinks, you have to go out to drink or else your career is doomed.
Was this true at your bb?
Your career isn’t necessarily doomed, but you’ll give a really bad impression to the seniors if you say no.
That being said, at the BB I interned at, the seniors did occasionally ask the juniors out for drinks and I’ve never seen juniors refusing to go out.
Are u doing ur SA at Seoul BB IBD?
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