Related: “He Worked 80 Hours a Week”: The Bakery Case Stirring Debate on Labor Practices
The tragedy at a popular Seoul bakery has reignited scrutiny of South Korea’s long-hour work culture — and exposed how easily labor protections can fail in the service industry.
1. What Happened
In July 2024, a man in his 20s working at London Bagel Museum, one of Seoul’s trendiest bakeries, died after what his family describes as months of extreme working hours.
They claim he worked over 80 hours in the final week before his death, averaging about 60 hours weekly over three months. The company denied this, saying the average was closer to 44 hours, but admitted fingerprint-based attendance data had been lost due to a system malfunction.
The case became public in late 2025, sparking intense public outcry and questions about workplace monitoring and employer accountability.
2. Why It Matters
The controversy highlights persistent gaps in labor-hour enforcement, particularly in small service-sector businesses that lack formal HR systems.
South Korea has one of the longest average working hours among OECD countries, and although labor reforms have been introduced, many workers — especially in retail, food service, and logistics — remain unprotected.
Social media users began sharing ways to prove long working hours without employer records — such as transit card logs, chat messages, and phone data — revealing widespread distrust in company timekeeping practices.
London Bagel Museum’s Anguk branch, a flagship location of the popular bakery brand (Photo source: LBM)
3. The Legal Gray Area
Under current labor law, employers are not required to electronically record attendance, which means proving overwork often depends on circumstantial evidence.
Labor attorneys say courts can consider transportation records, phone logs, or work-related messages as supporting evidence but often question their reliability.
Another legal issue centers on “voluntary overwork.” Even if an employee stays late by choice, the company may still be liable if it allowed or tacitly accepted the practice. Courts have repeatedly ruled that “voluntary” overtime does not absolve employers of responsibility when health risks are involved.
4. The Corporate Responsibility Question
The incident occurred during the bakery’s 2 trillion won sale to JKL Partners, a private equity firm.
Labor experts say determining accountability — between former owners and current management — depends on whether the sale was structured as a business transfer (which carries liability) or a simple asset sale (which may not).
The tragedy also raises questions about due diligence during corporate acquisitions — whether buyers assess ongoing labor compliance risks before taking over.
5. What Experts Say
“Once someone has worked beyond a certain threshold, voluntariness doesn’t matter — it’s overwork,” said labor attorney Park Sung-woo.
“This case shows how South Korea’s labor system still depends too much on trust and not enough on verifiable data,” added legal scholar Kim Yoo-kyung.
6. The Bigger Picture
The London Bagel Museum case has reignited debate over the “overwork-as-dedication” mindset deeply embedded in Korean workplaces.
Despite high-profile reforms, enforcement remains inconsistent, and small companies rarely face penalties for violations unless deaths or major accidents occur.
The tragedy has become a rallying point for younger workers who demand transparent hour-tracking systems and stronger state oversight to prevent similar incidents.
London Bagel Museum opens a new store at Starfield Suwon (Photo source: Shinsegae Property)
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
