'Extreme Jobs' Follows the Grueling Summer Behind a Car Dismantling Yard and Kimchi Factory

One crew spends the day cutting apart retired vehicles. Another works shoulder to shoulder in the sweltering heat, turning mountains of fresh vegetables into kimchi. Their jobs couldn't be more different, yet both demand stamina, technical skill and unwavering concentration.

The July 18 episode of EBS1's Extreme Jobs follows the people behind two industries that rarely attract attention, revealing how discarded materials are given new life and how one of Korea's favorite summer foods reaches dining tables across the country.

Every Vehicle Has Another Purpose

A dismantling yard processes dozens of vehicles each day. Photo courtesy of EBS

At a vehicle dismantling yard in Namdong-gu, Incheon, around 40 cars arrive every day, while hundreds more wait to be processed.

Instead of being crushed immediately, each vehicle is carefully inspected. Workers remove reusable engines, batteries, headlights and other components before the remaining steel is sent for recycling. Nearly every part finds a new purpose.

The work is demanding from beginning to end. Locked vehicles often require additional safety procedures, while lifting heavy body panels and dismantling damaged cars leaves no room for error.

Electric vehicles have added another level of complexity. High-voltage battery packs must be disconnected before any other work begins, requiring specialized equipment and meticulous safety procedures.

Recovered parts are also finding buyers beyond Korea, as growing demand for affordable recycled components turns dismantling yards into an important link in the country's export supply chain.

Summer's Biggest Rush

Kimchi production reaches full capacity during the summer season. Photo courtesy of EBS

Summer is one of the busiest times of the year for kimchi makers.

At a factory in Gwangju, Jeollanam-do, truckloads of young radish, ponytail radish, mustard greens and napa cabbage arrive throughout the day as production accelerates to keep pace with seasonal demand.

Every batch begins with washing, sorting and salting fresh ingredients before workers prepare the seasonings that define the factory's flavor. Large kettles of broth simmer over intense heat before homemade maesil syrup is blended into the mixture.

The facility also produces nearly four tons of shredded-radish bossam kimchi in a single batch, making preparation an around-the-clock physical challenge.

Making mustard green kimchi is among the toughest jobs on the production floor. As the greens are washed, their pungent aroma fills the air, leaving workers with watering eyes while the assembly line continues without slowing.

Whether extending the life of an old vehicle or preparing food for countless households, both workplaces depend on people whose labor is rarely seen but impossible to replace.

Their stories unfold in the July 18 broadcast of EBS1's Extreme Jobs.

Reported by News Culture [e-mail]