The Pizza Delivery Man and the Gold Palace — Chapter 1

THE PEOPLE WHO DELIVERED TO THE GOLD PALACE...

...ALL HAD SOMETHING SPECIAL IN COMMON.

WHENEVER THEY ARRIVED, THEY WERE FILLED WITH JOY AND EXCITEMENT.

YOU MAY ASK, WHY?

THE REASON IS SIMPLE.

THANKS, KID.

KEEP THE CHANGE.

THANK YOU, DEAR.

PLEASE KEEP THE REST FOR YOURSELF.

THANK YOU.

I'VE INCLUDED A TIP.

IT'S...

...THE CUSTOMERS' LOVE!

THE GOLD PALACE IS ONE OF KOREA'S MOST SOUGHT-AFTER LUXURY APARTMENTS.

IT HOUSES THE WEALTHIEST GLOBETROTTERS, FROM FOREIGN AFFILIATE CEOS TO MAJOR COMPANY EXECUTIVES TO SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT TALENTS.

MANY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE TIPPING CULTURE CONSIDERED UNCUSTOMARY IN KOREA.

TAKE IT.

THUS, THE GOLD PALACE RESIDENTS WILL OFTEN GIVE DELIVERY PEOPLE LARGE TIPS.

YOU MAY BE WONDERING, WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?

TIP IN KOREA?!

BUT IN THIS AGE OF CAPITALISM, MONEY IS A POWERFUL FORCE.

DO THEY TIP TO FLAUNT THEIR WEALTH AND STATUS, OR IS IT MERELY OUT OF HABIT? BETTER YET, DO THEY GENUINELY EMPATHIZE WITH THE MELANCHOLY WORKER?

I bestow upon you a precious tip.

WHATEVER THE REASON, THE DELIVERY PEOPLE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO REJOICE.

THE CUSTOMERS'...

...LOVE.

ENJOY YOUR MEAL...

...DEAR CUSTOMER!

...DEAR CUSTOMER!

THANK YOU...

I LOVE YOU...

...DEAR CUSTOMER!

TO THOSE WHO COME TO THE GOLD PALACE ON DUTY, THIS LOVE IS THE FRUIT OF THEIR LABOR.

HERE YOU GO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK! PLEASE KEEP THE REST AS A TIP.

WOW, HE'S FINE AS HELL...!

THANK YOU.

PLEASE ENJOY YOUR MEAL.

AND FOR THAT VERY REASON, DOH WOO-WON ALSO FOUND HIS FOOT IN THIS PLACE.

THIS IS WHY I PAY IN CASH!

DOH WOO-WON, ONE MONTH AGO.

I'M...GETTING LAID OFF?

I'M SORRY, KIDDO, BUT THIS'LL BE YOUR LAST DAY.

MAY I... KNOW WHY?

Y'KNOW HYEON-SEOK AND THE BOYS? THEY DON'T WANT TO WORK WITH YOU ANYMORE.

REMEMBER WHEN THE OTHER PART-TIMERS FOUGHT 'CAUSE OF YOU?

I CAN'T DEAL WITH ANY MORE LOVERS' TIFFS. IT'S JUST A PART- TIME JOB, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.

I'LL BE HONEST. THE SHOP BENEFITED A LOT FROM YOU, AND WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THAT.

BUT I HATE WHEN MY EMPLOYEES CLASH WITH EACH OTHER, AND I'M SURE THE PRESIDENT WILL AGREE.

I'M SORRY. YOU CAN GO NOW.

PACK UP YOUR THINGS BY TONIGHT.

...YES, SIR.

SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS...

...OUR GODDAMN MANAGER FIRED YOU INSTEAD OF KIM HYEON-SEOK AND HIS FUCKIN' POSSE?!

HE SAID HE'LL INCLUDE TODAY'S HOURS IN MY LAST PAYCHECK.

AS HE SHOULD!

HE KNEW THOSE ASSHOLES HAVE BEEN HARASSING YOU FOR MONTHS BEHIND HIS BACK!

I'M RELIEVED YOU DON'T MIND, BUT THAT'S WORKPLACE OSTRACISM.

OUR SALES HAVE INCREASED LIKE MAD 'CAUSE OF YOU. HOW DARE HE STAB YOU IN THE BACK?

LET'S BE REAL. IF ALL OF THOSE TWERPS WERE FIRED INSTEAD, OUR SALES WOULDN'T SUFFER NEARLY AS MUCH.

HAHA...'''

IT'S FINE, THERE'S NO POINT IN GETTING ANGRY. I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE.

I'M MORE WORRIED ABOUT FINDING ANOTHER JOB.

THIS PLACE PAID THE HIGHEST HOURLY WAGE.

HOW WILL I MAKE UP FOR THAT?

YOU NEED MONEY THAT BAD? WELL, IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE COMPLETELY OUT OF LUCK.

camlip the fresh bread camli the fresh

DON'T YOU WORK TWO OTHER JOBS?

...I'M ALWAYS IN NEED OF MONEY.

HOW ABOUT PARCEL SERVICE? OR SOME KIND OF MANUAL LABOR?

THOSE MAKE A QUICK PROFIT, NO?

I'VE TRIED PARCEL SERVICE, CONSTRUCTION, THIS AND THAT...

BUT MY SHOULDER INJURY NEVER HEALED PROPERLY, SO I COULDN'T HANDLE THOSE JOBS FOR MORE THAN A FEW MONTHS.

I ALMOST PAID MORE THAN MY WAGE IN MEDICAL BILLS.

I GUESS I'LL LOOK FOR A LONG-TERM JOB WHILE WORKING AS A DESIGNATED DRIVER FOR NOW.

...WHY DOES NOTHING EVER WORK OUT FOR ME?

A DELIVERY JOB BEFORE, RIGHT?

DELIVERY? YEAH.

WANT TO WORK AT MY AUNT'S PLACE?

HER PLACE?

SHE ASKED ME IF I KNOW ANYONE WHO CAN HELP WITH DELIVERY SERVICE.

SHE RUNS A PIZZERIA AND CAFE. BUSINESS IS BOOMING, SO SHE MUST BE SHORTHANDED.

SHE'S LOOKING FOR A PART-TIME DELIVERY DRIVER.

BUT MY AUNT ONLY HIRES GOOD- LOOKING PEOPLE.

ACTUALLY, SHE ONLY HIRES THE SUPER HOT ONES. I BET THAT'S WHY SALES ARE INCREASING.

YOU'LL BE HIRED AUTOMATICALLY, SO GIVE IT A SHOT.

AND HERE'S THE SCOOP. IF YOU DELIVER TO THE GOLD PALACE OR SOME OTHER WEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU'LL OFTEN RECEIVE TIPS. I KNOW 'CAUSE I'VE HELPED OUT A BIT.

I HEARD THE WORKERS AT MY AUNT'S GET TIPPED A LOT. LIKE, THEY REALLY CLEAN UP.

AND THE PIZZERIA'S NEAR THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO, HOW ABOUT IT? SINCE YOU'RE LEAVING THIS JOB, I'M THINKING OF QUITTING AND JOINING MY AUNT, TOO.

WOO-WON'S INTERVIEW THAT DAY ENDED AT FIRST GLANCE WITH, "YOU START TOMORROW."

GOOD THING I RECEIVED A FEW TIPS THIS MONTH.

I CAN FINALLY START PAYING OFF INTEREST.

I'M CRAVING MEAT. SHOULD I TREAT MYSELF TODAY?

WHAT'S THIS?

re you alright? Don't get sick. 7:08 AM Don't worry~ haha I'll text you later 7:09 AM Mom Ok, be careful 7:11 AM You're not picking up Are you busy? Tired? Should I go visit you? I'm sorry, Woo-won 1:25 PM

HERE SHE GOES AGAIN. I TOLD HER NOT TO FEEL SORRY.

I'LL CALL HER WHEN I HAVE SOME SPARE TIME.

AND?

SO WHAT?

"SO WHAT?" I'M SERIOUS, QUIT MALINGERING AND GO TO WORK.

LOOK, YOU SPOILED BRAT. EVERYBODY'S GOT PROBLEMS. THERE'S NO TIME FOR FOOLING AROUND.

I TOLD YOU, DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT.

YOU THINK YOU'RE SICK JUST BECAUSE YOU SEE A DOCTOR? ANYONE CAN GET A PRESCRIPTION BY FAKING ILLNESS. FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE IN PAIN!

OUT

STOP MAKING EXCUSES AND GO BACK TO WORK. FATHER'S ALWAYS ON MY ASS BECAUSE OF YOU.

I ACTUALLY JUST MET WITH HIM, THANKS TO YOU. CAN YOU HANG UP NOW?

WHY ARE YOU EVEN CALLING? ISN'T IT LATE OVER THERE?

YOU BASTARD... YOUR OLDER BROTHER'S CALLING BECAUSE HE'S F*CKING WORRIED ABOUT YOU!

HOW DISRESPECTFUL. IS THIS HOW YOU'RE GOING TO TREAT ME?

WORRIED? YEAH, RIGHT. I KNOW IT'S BECAUSE MOTHER AND FATHER HAVE BEEN BOTHERING YOU CONSTANTLY.

THEN WHY'D YOU F*CKING ASK? DON'T PUSH IT, ALRIGHT? ENOUGH WITH THE BURNOUT AND PANIC DISORDER BULLSH*T. AREN'T YOU EMBARRASSED?

SERIOUSLY, KNOCK IT OFF!

WHAT? WHY ARE YOU YELLING? I SWEAR, YOU AND THAT HOT TEMPER OF YOURS...

FORGET IT. JUST KNOW THAT IN TWO MONTHS, I'LL BE-

WHAT A PIECE OF SH*T...

Decline with message

VRRR...!

OLDER BROTHER, MY ASS. HE SURE KNOWS HOW TO PISS SOMEONE OFF.

I'm flying back to Korea in September. Don't say I didn't warn you.

I'M TIRED OF EVERYTHING.