'I passed the Grade 9 exam at 50': Late-blooming civil servant draws wave of online support

The story of a 50-year-old who passed the Grade 9 civil service exam this year and began a career in public service has gone viral online.

On Sunday, a post titled "I passed the Grade 9 exam at 50 and showed up for my first day of work" appeared on the online community Bobaedream.

The author, identified only as A, said it had already been two weeks since starting work as a newly hired Grade 9 civil servant at age 50. A photo shared alongside the post showed an official certificate of passing the 2026 local government civil service exam.

A spent two years preparing for the exam, studying alone at a study cafe inside an apartment complex. After failing the interview in the first year, A refused to give up and passed on the second attempt.

The daily routine ran from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for administrative law and public administration, followed by study sessions in Korean, English and Korean history that stretched until 1 a.m. the next morning. Sundays were reserved for rest and catching up on sleep.

"Studying at this age was tough, but I genuinely enjoyed it," A said, reflecting on the experience.

There were many doubts about starting a new work life ahead of the assignment, but A decided to take the chance given how hard it had been to earn. Once on the job, the adjustment turned out to be smoother than expected.

A credited supportive senior colleagues who answered every question patiently and offered encouragement without a hint of irritation. In turn, A said, "Regardless of my age, I try to keep the mindset of always being the most junior person — learning diligently, even if a little slowly."

For others considering taking the civil service exam later in life, A offered this advice: be brave. The welfare benefits are solid relative to the salary, A noted, and relevant work experience can be recognized toward pay-grade seniority.

Asked about the salary, A said, "Money wasn't what drew me to this. I was looking for a job where I could go in every morning and have my weekends." On the age gap with fellow new hires, A said, "My cohort members are half my age, and they're adorable — we get along just fine."

Closing the post, A said, "This is the adaptation story of a late-blooming civil servant — I'll keep at it."

Readers flooded the comments with support. "Studying must not have been easy with an older mind — truly impressive," one wrote. "Congratulations and cheers. You've inspired me to push harder in my own life," said another. Others simply noted: "Age doesn't matter. You're amazing."