Tae-il became a garment worker at the Pyeonghwa Market at 18. With the idea that he would learn skills at a stable job and take responsibility for his livelihood, he got his first job as an apprentice at the Sam-il company, a sewing factory.
However, his excitement did not last long. Working conditions in the Pyeonghwa Market were dreadful. Most of the apprentices were young girls, and they had to work 15 hours a day in the dark and dusty factories. Apprentices got paid about 3,000 won as a monthly wage. At that time, the city bus fare was 15 won.
He used to buy some bread with his bus fare for those who failed to eat lunch properly with their low wages. After that, he walked back home after work from Dongdaemun to Dobongsan. Since it took about three hours to walk home, he often spent the night in the police box and went home past the midnight curfew. The bread-sharing ritual continued for 3–4 years.
Tae-il thought that it was unfair that the young factory workers were not properly paid for their work. Therefore, he quit the sewing job to become a tailor's assistant. He believed that if he became a tailor, it would be possible for him to manage the wages, joining, and dismissal of workers.