Leaving the Office When Seniors Are Still There

Leaving the Office When Seniors Are Still There

It’s 6:05 p.m. Your work is done, you’re mentally already on the subway — and your team lead is still typing, eyes on the monitor.

Do you just stand up and walk out? Wait another twenty minutes so it doesn’t look strange? Say something on the way to the door — and if so, what?

Today you’ll learn how leaving usually works when seniors are still at their desks, plus four short Korean lines that make the exit feel normal instead of awkward.

At a glance

SituationKoreanWhen to useEnglish
Everyday leave while others are still working먼저 들어가 보겠습니다.Your default on most daysI’ll head out first.
Adding a see-you to a manager내일 뵙겠습니다.Right after the line aboveSee you tomorrow.
A slightly more formal goodbye이만 퇴근하겠습니다.To a team lead, or in a quieter, formal officeI’ll be leaving for the day now.
Leaving while people are mid-task먼저 실례하겠습니다.Passing a busy desk or slipping out of a roomExcuse me for leaving first.

There’s usually no rule — but there is a rhythm

You may have heard that in Korea you can’t leave until the boss does. Some offices really did work that way, and a few still lean that way. But a lot of teams today are fine with people leaving when their work is done, and many managers would rather you go home than sit there pretending to be busy.

The honest answer is that it depends on your team. So instead of inventing a rule for yourself, spend your first week or two watching how people at your level leave. What time do they usually go? Do they say something to the team lead, or just to the people nearby? That rhythm tells you more than any etiquette list.

A short line and your bag

What tends to feel off isn’t leaving early — it’s leaving silently. A short verbal cue as you pick up your bag is usually all it takes.

The everyday line is 먼저 들어가 보겠습니다 — literally “I’ll go in first,” meaning “I’ll head out ahead of you.” Toward a manager, pair it with 내일 뵙겠습니다, “See you tomorrow.” That combination works in most offices on most days.

If your office feels more formal, or you’re speaking directly to a team lead, 이만 퇴근하겠습니다 sounds a touch more official. And when people around you are clearly focused — on a call, deep in a spreadsheet — 먼저 실례하겠습니다 quietly acknowledges that you’re leaving while they’re still at it.

You don’t need to make a speech or explain why you’re going. Say it once, at a normal volume, toward the nearest senior or the team lead, and go.

The 수고하세요 trap

Lots of people learn 수고하세요 early because it sounds like a friendly “keep up the good work.” The catch is direction: it usually goes from a senior to a junior, or to a clerk or delivery person. Saying it to your manager on the way out can sound like you’re the one handing out the encouragement.

수고하셨습니다 (“thanks for your hard work”) is softer, and it’s common among peers or when the whole team wraps up together. Some people still feel it’s a little odd toward someone much more senior, so use it with care. If you’re not sure, the leave lines above are always safe.

Lines you can borrow

  • 팀장님, 먼저 들어가 보겠습니다. 내일 뵙겠습니다. — Team lead, I’ll head out first. See you tomorrow.
  • 오늘 일 다 마무리해서, 이만 퇴근하겠습니다. — I’ve wrapped up today’s work, so I’ll be leaving now.
  • 통화 중이시네요. 먼저 실례하겠습니다. — You’re on a call — excuse me for leaving first.
  • 다들 수고하셨습니다. 내일 뵙겠습니다. — Thanks for today, everyone. See you tomorrow.

Try it at work today

Pick one line — 먼저 들어가 보겠습니다. 내일 뵙겠습니다. is a great default — and use it when you leave today, even if it feels a little stiff. Then notice what your coworkers say on their way out, and adjust from there.

Leaving on time is a normal part of work. A few words at the door just let everyone know you’re heading off — nothing more.

This week: watch how peers leave, keep one leave line ready, and skip 수고하세요 toward your manager.

Quick questions

Do I really have to wait until my boss leaves?

In most offices today, no. Teams vary, so watch how people at your level leave for a week or two, and if you’re ever unsure, asking a friendly coworker is completely fine.

What if my manager is on a call when I want to go?

A small bow or nod and a quiet 먼저 실례하겠습니다 is enough. You don’t need to interrupt them or wait for a reply.

Is 수고하셨습니다 always safe to say?

It’s common and usually fine with peers or when everyone finishes together. Toward someone much more senior, 먼저 들어가 보겠습니다. 내일 뵙겠습니다. is the safer choice.

If you want to practice:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How Do You Ask for a Confirm, Reply, or Review in Korean at Work?

Image
Have you ever finished a Korean work email, then paused on the last line, not quite sure you asked for the right thing? You typed something polite that ends in 부탁드립니다 . It looks fine. A day later you get a short “확인했습니다” when what you needed was a yes or no — or silence, because they thought you were just looping them in. Today we’ll untangle three closers that sound almost the same in English, so you can pick the one that matches what you actually need. The three that get mixed up Korean workplaces lean hard on these: 확인 부탁드립니다 — “please confirm / take a look” 회신 부탁드립니다 — “please reply” 검토 부탁드립니다 — “please review” They are not interchangeable. 확인 is for eyes. Did the file arrive? Is the date okay? Please look once so we’re aligned. You’re not asking for a long answer — you’re asking them to check. 회신 is for words back. A decision, a yes/no, something written you can act on. If you need them to answer, this is the one. 검토 is for judgment on a document — a deck, a contract, a prop...
Read more

Graduating on a D-2 Visa: Should You Switch to D-10 or E-7?

Image
Graduation photos are done, friends are booking flights home, and someone finally asks what visa you’re moving to next. You realise the honest answer is still “I’ll figure it out after commencement.” That’s usually how the scramble starts. Today we’ll walk through the two routes the official guidance sketches for D-2 graduates, plus a few Korean terms that make the conversation with your school or immigration much smoother. Offer in hand, or still looking? One question decides your route: do you already have a signed employment contract? If you do , and the role fits an employment stay qualification — for example E-7 (Specific Activities) — you may be able to apply to change straight to that employment status, as long as you meet the rules for D-2 prospective graduates. The official guidance says a change to employment status (E-1 through E-7 as applicable) needs all three: legal stay on D-10 or D-2, a job field that matches that stay qualification and its requirements, and a signed em...
Read more

Ssi vs Nim: How Do You Address Coworkers in Korean?

Image
Someone on your team calls you 민수 씨 , so on Monday you greet your lead the same way. The room goes just a little quiet. Or the opposite: you learned “님 = polite” in class, so you attach it to everyone, until a peer laughs and tells you it sounds a bit stiff. This isn’t a full 존댓말 lesson. Today we’ll look at one small choice — how you attach something to a person’s name — and why it quietly ranks the room. 직함+님 vs 이름+씨 직함+님 (job title + 님) is your safe default for anyone above you and for any client: 팀장님 , 과장님 , 부장님 , 대표님 . You can add a surname in front — 김 과장님 , 박 팀장님 — and it still works. Bosses, clients, external partners, people you mainly know by their role: 직함+님 is never the wrong call. 이름+씨 (given name + 씨) is peer politeness. It’s fine when your workplace already uses it among equals or toward juniors — if a same-rank colleague calls you 민수 씨, it’s usually okay to call them the same way back. The trap is going upward. Calling a manager by name+씨 because a peer did it to you ...
Read more