My Honest First Year as a Freelance Developer

I Quit and Went Freelance

Last May I left a company I'd been at for 5 years. The reasons were simple: I wanted to pick my own projects, and commuting felt like a waste. A freelancer friend warned me "the first 6 months are rough," but I was riding high on confidence. Five years of experience, solid tech stack — how hard could it be?

Reality was different.

First 3 Months: No Work

I put up a profile on freelancing platforms and waited. Nobody reached out. One week, two weeks, a month. Watching my savings shrink as anxiety crept in. I started sending proposals myself. Sent 47, got 6 replies, had 3 meetings, landed 1 contract.

That one contract paid less than I expected. 4.8 million won per month. Less than my after-tax salary at my old job. Without health insurance, pension, or any benefits. But I had no choice — I needed to build my portfolio, so I took it.

(I genuinely regretted quitting around this time. I was waking up at 5 AM every morning from anxiety.)

Month 6: Things Finally Clicked

After finishing the first project well, that client gave me another one. And through their referral, a new client came in. In the freelance world, word of mouth is everything. From month 6 onward, work stopped drying up.

Rates went up too. Started at 4.8 million, second project was 6.2 million, third was 7.5 million. As experience and portfolio built up, I gained negotiating power.

Income Reality (Full Year Summary)

Total income for the year: 73.4 million won. Monthly average: about 6.12 million won. After pension, health insurance, and income tax, the actual take-home was around 4.73 million per month. Similar to or slightly less than my old salary.

But that's the average — the variance is huge. In busy months I earned 9.2 million, and in empty months it was 0. The terror of a zero-income month is something you can't understand until you've experienced it.

My Biggest Mistake

Not preparing for taxes. As a freelancer, only 3.3% is withheld, and you have to file comprehensive income tax separately. I didn't know this. At my first filing, I owed 1.87 million won more than expected. Should've found an accountant earlier. Now I set aside 25% of monthly income for taxes.

Health insurance was another shock. After switching to regional enrollment, it was 280,000 won per month. At my old company, I only paid half.

There Are Definitely Good Parts

Working from a cafe at 11 AM, hitting the gym at 3 PM, working again in the evening. Zero commute time, no pointless meetings. Being able to choose projects is huge. If a client is difficult, I just don't take them again.

But the price of this freedom is instability. Not knowing what next month's income will be is more stressful than you'd think. Sunday nights I often catch myself thinking "what if I can't line up the next project?"

Year One Conclusion

I still don't know if freelancing is better than being employed. One thing is certain: freelancing isn't just about coding ability. Sales, accounting, contract review, client management — you're running a one-person business.

I might go back to a company. Or I might not. I think I'll have to finish year two to really know.