"We Can Hardly Find Time to Drink Water"... A Father Keeps Delivering in the Sweltering Heat [Reportage]

Carrying an Average of 300 Boxes a Day, Drenched in Sweat
Lost 19kg in Two Years Since Starting Delivery Work
"It's Tough, But I'm Glad I Can Live at My Own Pace"
"On Sundays, I Recharge by Spending Time with My Family"

On the morning of the 11th at a logistics center in Gwangju, delivery drivers are continuously loading and unloading packages. Photo by Song Bohyun

At 7 a.m. on the 11th, at a logistics center in Gwangju, the ceiling fans were spinning slowly. Even though the sunlight was not yet strong, the air inside was already stifling. Sweat had spread across the short-sleeved uniforms, and boxes unloaded from trucks were quickly piling up on the floor. The drivers worked in silence, their hands moving constantly. They checked shipping labels, sorted items, and stacked boxes again in front of the conveyor belt. The belt never stopped.

Park Hyunje, 39, checked the number of packages for his delivery area. He wore a black cap, a gray vest, and arm sleeves. He carefully loaded the packages, recalling the delivery order for each one. "It feels like playing Tetris," he said. A single misplaced box could force him to redo the entire job. "If even one box is wrong, I have to take everything out. It takes twice as much time and energy."

He has been working as a delivery driver for two years. His weight dropped from 72kg to 53kg. On average, he carries 300 boxes a day. "Today, I have 220, so it's a bit easier." Although June and July are considered the off-season, the workload does not decrease. If departure is delayed by 30 minutes, finishing time is pushed back by an hour. On Tuesdays, with about 400 packages, loading and unloading continues until noon.

Park Hyunje is climbing stairs in the heat to deliver a large box. Photo by Song Bohyun

Even after more than two hours at work, his pace did not slow. He carried dozens of boxes back and forth between the truck and his delivery area. At this moment, a colleague handed the reporter a bottle of ice-cold water. "These days, drivers can hardly find time to drink water in this heat. We have to handle everything ourselves, from loading and unloading to deliveries."

At 9:40 a.m., Park got into his truck. The first delivery destination was Baegun-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju. He parked in an alley in a residential area and carried boxes up the stairs. Scanning shipping labels and placing packages in front of doors became a repeated routine. "In this neighborhood, I can tell who lives where just by looking at the shipping label now." He was out of breath every time he climbed two or three steps. The reporter, too, soon felt sweat running down his back. "Am I going too fast?" he asked with a laugh.

For delivery drivers, the most challenging season is not winter but summer. Clothes are soaked with sweat, and the inside of the vehicle feels like a sauna. "My father bought me a cooling vest last week. Today is the first time I'm wearing it, and it definitely helps." Even as he said this, he picked up another box.

As the morning deliveries were nearly finished, Mr. Park got into the car and took a short breath. "My wife packed misutgaru for me because she knew I was coming to cover the story today." He also cleaned the vehicle with his two daughters. "I put it in the icebox, so it's still cool." Photo by Bohyun Song

Park is the father of four children. He got married at 23 and is now raising four kids, from a middle schooler to a newborn. His eldest is in the second year of middle school, and the youngest was born in March this year. After work, he reads books and does homework with his children. "At least on Sundays, I really try to be a dad. That time is my favorite. No matter how hard things get, everything feels fine when I see their faces."

Before working as a delivery driver, he worked at a regular company. After being promoted to a managerial position, working late nights and weekends became routine. "I hardly had any time to spend with my family. Even though this job is much harder, I like that I can live according to my own rhythm."

Even though he chose this job, there are still boundaries in daily life that are hard to protect. Delivery work is basically six days a week. Recently, more drivers have started delivering even on Sundays. It is not mandatory. However, if you leave Sunday’s packages for Monday, the workload snowballs. Drivers themselves choose to work for the next day. "If I don’t rest even one day on Sunday, it’s hard to get through the following week. I endure six days for that one day with my family."

At 1 p.m., after finishing deliveries in Baegun-dong, Park prepared to head to Sajik-dong. His shirt was soaked with sweat, but a smile spread across his face. "It's tough, but I still enjoy my work. I can buy my kids delicious food and do nice things for them." His expected finishing time was 6 p.m. The day was not over yet.