London Bagel Museum employee dies after working 80 hours a week

A man in his 20s working for one of Korea's most popular bakery cafes, London Bagel Museum, died in July after working nearly 80 hours a week, the minor progressive Justice Party said.

The death, which has raised questions about overwork, came 14 months after the employee joined the company in May 2024.

The Justice Party stated Monday the employee had arrived at work at 9 a.m. and left around midnight the day before he died. Five days before his death he worked 21 hours in a single day.

"Chronic overwork combined with acute overwork may have led to his death," the party said in a statement.

The worker's employment contract contained 14 hours of overtime per week, violating the 52-hour workweek limit, according to the party.

The Justice Party said the bereaved family applied for the death to be classified as resulting from work, but LBM, the company running the bakery cafe, has refused to provide data on the employee's working hours, stating that “the work records confirmed by the company differ from the family’s claims.”

London Bagel Museum opened its first store in Anguk-dong in central Seoul in September 2021. It currently operates seven stores nationwide.

In July, local private equity firm JKL Partners acquired LBM for over 200 billion won ($140 million).

Source: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/society/20251028/london-bagel-museum-employee-dies-after-working-80-hours-a-week

Comprehension

Which company did the man who died work for?
How many hours a week did the employee reportedly work?
When did the man join the company?
What did the Justice Party say might have caused his death?
How many hours did he reportedly work in a single day before his death?
What is the legal weekly work-hour limit in Korea?
Why is the company being criticized by the Justice Party?
Who recently acquired the London Bagel Museum, and for how much?

Discussion

What do you think are the dangers of working too many hours?
How can overwork affect a person’s physical and mental health?
Why do you think some companies expect employees to work long hours?
What should companies do to prevent deaths caused by overwork?
Should governments impose stricter penalties for violating labor laws? Why or why not?
How important is work-life balance in your country?
Do you think workers feel comfortable reporting overwork or unfair treatment at their jobs?
What can society do to change the culture of overwork?
Have you ever experienced or known someone who worked too much? How did it affect them?
Do you think this incident will make other companies review their labor practices?

Vocabulary

Overwork – working too much or for too long, often causing stress or illness.
Bereaved – people who have lost a loved one, especially due to death.
Progressive (party) – a political group that supports social reform and workers’ rights.
Overtime – working more hours than what is officially required or allowed.
Acute – severe or intense in effect or degree.
Data – information or facts collected for reference or analysis.
Acquire – to buy or take control of a company or business.
Equity firm – a company that invests money in other businesses to help them grow or make a profit.