The Truth about Average Salary & Working Culture in Korea
Summary
TLDRIn this video, Gina Kim from the 'It's Gina Kim' channel shares insights into Korean working culture, salaries, and work-life balance. Broadcasting from Seoul, she discusses the reality of working in Korea, touching on average wages, working hours, overtime, and the influence of older generations on current work habits. Gina also compares holiday entitlements and living costs in Korea to other countries, sharing her personal experiences. She highlights the changing work environment, especially in startups, and concludes with a reflection on societal expectations regarding success. Gina encourages viewers to engage with her channel for more content on Korea.
Takeaways
- ๐ Korean work culture typically involves longer hours, with a 9-to-6 workday being common, especially compared to the standard 9-to-5 in other countries.
- ๐ Many companies in Korea do not offer extra pay for overtime, and it can be expected if deadlines aren't met or if the boss stays late, as a hierarchical culture still exists.
- ๐ National holidays are usually respected, but some industries, such as manufacturing and construction, may require employees to work even during these times.
- ๐๏ธ For vacation days, employees typically get one day off per month worked, and after working for 12 months, they accumulate 12 days off.
- ๐ผ Korean working culture has been influenced by past generations, particularly due to the economic hardships experienced by their parents, where working long hours was common.
- ๐ค The minimum wage in Korea is $7.60 USD per hour, which the speaker believes is neither too low nor too high compared to other countries.
- ๐ฐ Young professionals in their early 20s can expect an average salary of around $28,000 USD per year, with college graduates earning around $34,000 USD annually.
- ๐ In their 30s, college graduates may earn an average of $38,500 USD annually, with top earners receiving up to $45,500 USD per year.
- ๐ Cost of living in Korea, especially in Seoul, is relatively lower compared to countries like the US, and public transportation makes owning a car unnecessary for many.
- ๐ค The societal pressure to follow a traditional path (good college, job at a big company, marriage) is strong in Korea, but the speaker emphasizes that personal success should be defined individually.
Q & A
What is the main focus of Gina Kim's YouTube channel?
-Gina Kim's YouTube channel focuses on Korean culture, life in Korea, and related topics such as working culture and salaries in Korea.
What is the typical working schedule in Korea according to the video?
-The typical working schedule in Korea is from 9 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday, totaling nine hours per day. However, some industries, like manufacturing and construction, may require employees to work on Saturdays as well.
Is overtime pay common in Korean companies?
-According to Gina Kim, overtime pay is generally not common in Korea. While some companies may offer extra pay for overtime, most do not, and employees often work extra hours without additional compensation.
How do holidays and vacation days work in Korea?
-In Korea, employees typically have national holidays off, although some industries may require work on holidays. For vacations, employees receive one day off per month worked, accumulating 12 days off after a year of work. Some companies also offer additional summer vacation days.
What is the current minimum wage in Korea?
-The minimum wage in Korea is 7.6 USD per hour.
What is the average annual salary for a 20-24-year-old worker in Korea?
-The average annual salary for a 20-24-year-old worker in Korea is around 28,000 USD, which amounts to approximately 2,330 USD per month.
How does salary increase with age and education in Korea?
-For workers aged 25-29 who have graduated from university, the average annual salary is around 34,000 USD. For those in their 30s, the salary increases further to 38,500 USD annually for those with a college degree, with top earners in their 30s making around 45,500 USD per year.
Why does Gina Kim emphasize negotiating your first salary?
-Gina Kim emphasizes negotiating your first salary because it sets the standard for future jobs. Employers in Korea often base salary offers on the applicant's previous wage, usually offering a small percentage increase.
How does the Korean working culture differ from previous generations?
-In previous generations, the Korean working culture was much stricter, with long hours, hierarchical relationships, and mandatory overtime. Workers also had to engage in after-work drinking with their bosses, which was a part of the corporate culture. Today, while this still exists in some traditional companies, many modern startups and younger CEOs have adopted more flexible working environments.
How does the cost of living in Korea compare to other countries, according to Gina Kim?
-According to Gina Kim, the cost of living in Korea is lower compared to the United States. She mentions that meals, such as lunch, can be as affordable as 5 USD, and transportation is convenient, making it unnecessary to own a car in Seoul.
Outlines
๐น Introduction to Gina Kim and Korean Working Culture
Gina Kim introduces herself as the host of 'It's Gina Kim' YouTube channel, where she discusses Korean culture. She is currently at a trendy spot in Seoul and uses this moment to discuss the reality of working in Korea, focusing on salaries and working conditions. She encourages viewers to stay tuned for details and follow her on Instagram, while noting that her insights on working culture are based on personal experience rather than her current job.
โฐ Korean Working Hours and Overwork Culture
Gina dives into the structure of working hours in Korea, which typically span from 9 AM to 6 PM. She explains how extra work, often unpaid, is common due to uncompleted tasks or the pressure of staying late if bosses are still in the office. This overworking culture is especially prevalent in industries like manufacturing and construction. Gina also shares a story about a friendโs toxic workplace where the boss stayed late just to bully her.
๐๏ธ Korean Holidays and Vacation Days
Gina talks about holidays and vacation policies in Korean companies. Most Korean workers get one day off per month, totaling 12 days a year. The policy varies, with some companies offering extra summer vacation days, but this is not universal. She contrasts this with the extended holidays in European countries and discusses how Koreans typically have an hour lunch break, often at company cafeterias that offer affordable meals.
๐๏ธ The Historical Roots of Koreaโs Hardworking Culture
Gina reflects on how South Korea's hardworking culture stems from the older generation's experiences of poverty and the rapid development of the economy. During her parents' time, the focus on working long hours, even from Monday to Saturday, was ingrained in the workforce. She shares anecdotes about how strict work environments were back then, with mandatory drinking sessions after work and harsh treatment from bosses.
๐ Changing Work Cultures in Korea: Generational Shift
Gina explains the generational shift in Koreaโs work culture, noting that while older, more traditional companies are still hierarchical, younger companies, especially startups, are more relaxed. She mentions her own company as an example, where overtime is not mandatory, and she often leaves before her CEO. She highlights the stark contrast between older companies and modern startups.
๐ฐ Salaries for 20s and Graduates in Korea
Discussing salary expectations, Gina shares statistics on how much people in their 20s typically earn in Korea, with a focus on those who have not graduated from college and those who have. The average salary for young adults is around $28,000 annually, while those with a university degree can earn slightly more. She shares personal experiences, revealing that her first salary was below average, highlighting the importance of negotiating the first wage.
๐ Salary Differences for People in Their 30s
Gina transitions to discussing the salaries of those in their 30s, noting that college graduates can earn significantly more than non-graduates. The average salary for someone aged 30 to 34 is $34,000 annually, with higher earners making upwards of $45,000. She explains how the wage gap increases with age and education, and why parents in Korea emphasize getting a good university education.
๐ธ Salary vs. Actual Earnings: Living Costs in Korea
Gina discusses the difference between salary and take-home pay, explaining that insurance and taxes are deducted from wages, so the actual amount earned is often lower. She touches on the cost of living in Korea, mentioning that while salaries might be lower compared to other countries, living expenses, particularly food and transportation, are more affordable, which allows people to save more.
๐ฏ The Korean Pressure to Achieve Success
Gina explores the pressure in Korean society to follow a specific path to success: attending a prestigious university, securing a job at a large company like Samsung or LG, and settling down. She notes that while this traditional path is still seen as the ideal, it can be stifling for those with different ambitions, such as becoming a YouTuber. She encourages viewers to follow their own paths despite societal expectations.
๐ Final Thoughts and Next Video Teaser
In the closing segment, Gina wraps up the video by encouraging viewers to like the video and subscribe to her channel. She hints at a future video that will focus on how foreigners can work in Korea and how much they can expect to be paid. She once again encourages viewers to follow her on Instagram for outfit updates and thanks them for watching.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กWorking hours
๐กOvertime
๐กHierarchical work culture
๐กMinimum wage
๐กStartup companies
๐กKorean working culture
๐กSalary negotiation
๐กGenerational differences
๐กNational holidays
๐กCost of living
Highlights
Introduction to the It's Gina Kim channel, where the host covers Korean culture and lifestyle.
Gina Kim is currently at Akase in Tongsu, a trendy location in Seoul, showcasing the vibrant environment.
Gina discusses the reality of living in Korea, emphasizing the need for financial stability to enjoy the lifestyle.
She provides insight into Korean work culture, covering average salaries, working hours, and differences between industries.
Gina highlights that standard working hours in Korea are usually from 9 AM to 6 PM, but overtime is common without extra pay.
She discusses how some industries, like manufacturing and construction, often require employees to work on Saturdays.
In some companies, employees are expected to stay late if their boss is still working, even if their own work is complete.
Gina mentions that Koreaโs minimum wage is approximately $7.60 USD per hour, which she considers fair for the local economy.
The average salary for people in their 20s in Korea is about $28,000 USD annually, or roughly $2,330 USD per month.
Employees with a university degree in their mid-20s earn around $34,000 USD annually, or $2,830 USD per month.
For those in their 30s with a college degree, the average salary increases to $38,500 USD per year.
Gina discusses how important the first salary is in Korea, as it sets the standard for future job negotiations.
She contrasts Koreaโs working culture with that of European countries, where employees often receive longer vacations.
Gina provides a cultural perspective on why older generations in Korea worked extremely hard due to the countryโs rapid economic growth.
She mentions that Koreaโs hierarchical work culture is slowly changing with the rise of younger CEOs and startup companies.
Transcripts
hey everyone this is gina kim from it's
gina kim channel and in this channel i
always talk about korean culture and
korea so right now i'm at akase at
tongsu in seoul this is like a really
trendy place and look at this everyone
it looks like a carrot isn't it so cute
do you want to enjoy this whole life i
bet yeah i bet you want to live here
right then you need
money right let's talk about reality so
do you want to work here how about the
payments how about your salary do you
think you can get paid better here or do
you think you're gonna get paid less
than in your country so we're gonna talk
about these old celery average salary
and how much you can get paid in korea
or like working culture here in korea
it's all about that so if you're
interested in these topics then please
keep watching and don't forget to
subscribe to my channel and please give
me a thumbs up and i have my instagram
is gina kim and i am uploading my outfit
photos so don't forget to follow me
there oh by the way today i'm gonna talk
about so many korean working culture but
it's not related to the company that i'm
working for right now yeah so if you
don't know about me right now i am a
youtuber of course and also at the same
time i am hired so i am an employee of
nudie house where they sell like small
beautiful things to abroad like from
korean designers so yeah actually i am
working on it so i'm doing this and that
just so many things that's why i can
talk about these things and i was born
and raised in korea so i know about
korean culture very very well so let me
talk to you like the reality guys
i saw the research results from xin and
bank so it may not be like the reality
so it can be a little different because
whenever you do research is a little bit
different you know okay then let's talk
about working hours first because you
know korean culture and koreans we are
not actually for working really really
hard is that true and i would say yes so
our working time it can be very
different by the industries but usually
it's from nine to six not nine to five
guys so it's totally nine hours per day
and it's from monday to friday but some
companies especially like manufacturing
and construction that industry that is
really really tough so probably
you have to come work every saturdays
too but probably but it's not like
average not every companies are not like
that so maybe they have their own rules
you know so yeah it's like that and
about working hours i know you guys are
worrying about working extra yeah
actually it happens a lot of times in
korea for example like let's say you
couldn't finish your work in time so
this is the due date today is the
deadline but you can finish that then
what can you do you have to work
overtime and is there any extra payment
for that i'll say average no well for
some companies yeah if they really do
care about welfare then they can maybe
they can give you some extra you know
money for that work um over time but
usually no they don't really give you
that money so the first case is that you
didn't finish your work in time the
second case probably you're not gonna
understand about that but that's just
because your boss is still working
still sitting there even i heard from my
friend that one of her bosses was really
really really bad and then because to
harass her only to harass her and bully
her he didn't you know leave that place
and then he was staying there until like
11 and 12 p.m so that she cannot go home
voila well but of course not every
companies are not like that yeah that is
just so toxic right sometimes i do
overwork too but that's because of my
own youtube channel actually so if i
feel like oh i want to do work more then
i actually do that so yeah it's really
up to you in my company but in some
other companies it can be very very very
different so we still have the culture
that yeah your boss is still working
then you cannot leave yes that's true
and about holidays oh my god i really
didn't know about this because i was you
know i've been only here in korea so i
really didn't know about this one and
also i was not really like an employee
employee in my life until right now so i
really didn't know about the holidays
you know that rules and yeah actually
this is kind of shocking part for
foreigners but i really didn't know this
is something shocking because i thought
that this is something natural so for
example the holidays we have some
national holidays then for the national
holidays we don't really go to the
office we don't have to go there but as
i told you before some industries really
tough industries they maybe you know
they maybe
[Laughter]
yeah you have to go there actually go to
work that was my sister by the way
and how about vacations and holidays for
example like summer vacations good
things okay so if you work a month then
you have like one day off you have that
chance so because right now i worked
like around like a month and a half so i
have a day off so i can use that anytime
actually whatever i feel like so for the
summer yeah that's actually included in
your summer vacation but in some
companies they give you like extra
summer vacation days so it's really
actually different usually in average
that's not going to be included so let's
say that you worked in this company like
in korea for 12 months then you have 12
days so you can use that and then you
can go somewhere else for vacation yeah
that's how we korean employees they take
some days off that's right and i heard
that in european countries it's like a
few months and i was like what then when
do you work
when can you work especially for startup
companies i don't really know about it
but yeah that's what i heard and i was
like oh my god that's like heaven and i
even heard that in some companies you
have like that time well we have our
launch time it's usually for an hour so
yeah we can go out and eat or we can get
you know bring some food from our home
but usually we go to cafeteria in my
company and then that lunch is around
like five dollars so you guys ask me i'm
from new york city and because the lunch
is so expensive we usually bring food
from our home but here i'll say no
we go out and eat because it's not
expensive or yeah we go to like
cafeteria in the building of the company
yeah so that's how we do korean
companies and korean people yeah we kind
of work hard and why is that let's talk
about it guys so if i'm gonna explain
about this i have to talk about our
parents generations because it's deeply
related probably you're not gonna know
about it but my parents generations back
then in south korea everybody was
suffering from poverty probably not
everybody but usually like everybody
like when i say poverty yeah they didn't
really have food to eat that poverty and
in that tiny room
like six or like seven old family
members or even like 10. those family
members they had to sleep all together
like this this like your head is here
and then your head is here and your head
is here you know what i mean like that
so south korea was really really really
different from right now so they were
suffering from poverty and then our
economy developed so fast all of a
sudden so we had a campaign it's like a
campaign so they were like okay let's
work hard let's wake up early so
everyone they used to get up so early in
the morning and they used to clean all
the street and they used to you know
work for so long all the korean people
that was the regulations that was the
law so they used to do that my parents
generation even like gymnastics do
things they had to do that you know what
i mean so let's take an example of my
father so my father when he was working
for a big company it was from monday to
saturday believe it or not and then when
he gets there he works like crazy and
their bosses they're like crazy always
yeah i said crazy so many times right
but they're like super busy and it's
really hierarchical if you make it like
a minor mistake then you're gonna be
like seriously heated beated or scolded
yeah it used to happen we cannot really
believe that right now but it used to
happen in my parents generations and
after work oh no no there is no like
after work because they had to work
always over time always like i told you
before if your boss is still working
then you have to be there anyways so
that's our parents generations and even
after work they had to drink a lot so if
you say i'm sorry i cannot drink then
they used to be like are you kidding me
are you kidding me do you want to be
fired yeah that kind of atmosphere so
you had to actually really really drink
even if you couldn't so that's previous
generations korean working culture yeah
it's crazy right even my father he had
to drink
alcohol inside of his boss's shoes he
had to drink it like that it's crazy
right so that's why traditional
companies they feel like young
generations they are lazy and they're
not passionate enough and they're so
impolite and they're kind of rude and
they don't want to work overtime so
whenever they see us they're going to be
like oh my god young people nowadays now
you know that why average korean
companies like big companies especially
or old like traditional companies they
are really hierarchical and why they are
working so hard but this is not about
all the companies because it's different
generation nowadays there are so many
startups and the ceos are so young so
nowadays the working culture is changing
like drastically so for example uh my
company for example yeah we don't really
work overtime we don't have to do that
that's not something necessary i even go
home always earlier than my ceo and my
boss
so
well sometimes sometimes if necessary
then i work overtime but i really don't
like about it so i try to finish it yeah
during the work time but yeah anyways i
am telling you guys not every company's
but if it's like big companies or like i
know some specific conservative
companies actually i know the names but
i cannot really say the names you know i
don't want to get sued and i don't want
to pay a lot of fun you know so i'm not
going to say those names but yeah there
are some toxic companies like that like
really really tough companies or like
top industries like manufacturing or
you know like construction
these areas okay now let's talk about
numbers number numbers i hate numbers
but we have to talk about it the reality
right so how much are you gonna get paid
let's talk about it okay so you have to
know about this minimum wage so hourly
minimum wage you know so in korea
minimum wage is
7.6 us dollars per hour i don't think
that this is like too low
when you think about the cafe owners and
everyone yeah i don't think that is like
so less but i don't know i don't think
this is like too low compared to other
countries either but what do you think
about it please let me know okay so
let's say that you are in your 20s and
you are unmarried then how much are you
gonna get paid here in korea so annually
yeah all year so you're gonna get paid
around 28 000 us dollars a year which
means that 2
and 330 us dollars per month what do you
think about this money i don't think
this is too much i mean
i think it's kind of like maybe because
they are in 20s and they're unmarried
well i think that's because this
research they included all the people
who didn't graduate college you know or
like part-time jobs like contracts you
know contract jobs those things they are
all included that's why i think the
average is kind of low but yeah if you
are in early 20s then you have to expect
this kind of money
okay then now let's talk about 25 years
old to 29 years old yeah people who
graduated university so they get paid
around like 34 000 us dollars a year
on average
that is like 2
83 us dollars per month so whoa okay so
i got my first job when i was 25 and
yeah that was actually not a korean
company but the hong kong company but
anyways so that was my first job and i
got paid monthly like around 2400
something
2 and 300 something us dollars so i
think i was below average compared to
these people because i graduated my
college and it is actually like a good
college so i had to get paid more
actually and top 25 percent of people
they get paid around 35 000 us dollars a
year dang it and i didn't get paid like
this before
you have to know the average so that you
can negotiate your wage and why is it
important because your first weight
becomes your standard and then based on
the standard when you go to another
company then they're gonna ask like how
much did you get paid and you have to
you know give them all the papers and
then they're gonna see like okay you got
paid around like this amount okay then
i'm gonna raise around like five percent
five percent from your previous company
something like that so the first job and
your first wage is really really really
important so negotiate very well guys
and so
top 25 people they got paid 35 000 us
dollars a year which means that they got
paid around like
2916 us dollars per month instead a lot
i don't think that's like a lot or like
i don't think that's like less so it's
kind of like in between like yeah
average average yeah i think it's okay
now it's about 30s i'm in my 30s so i'm
very curious about that so let's talk
about all the 30s average all the 30s
including like those people who didn't
graduate college so the if you are in 30
to 34
then you are gonna get paid around
thirty four thousand and one hundred us
dollars a year which means that two
thousand and nine hundred and forty one
us dollars per month do you think it's a
lot or do you think it's a little bit
less i feel like it's a little small
so then how much how much is the good
number so now let's talk about people
who graduated college yeah the same age
so
they get paid around 38 000 500
us dollars a year
yeah
that's that's a lot right compared to
you know those people who didn't grade
at the college so that is around like
two 3200
and eight us dollars per month so the
top twenty five percent of people they
get paid around like forty five
thousand and five hundred us dollars a
year
a year that means that around like three
thousand and seven hundred and ninety
one us dollars per month
so can you see the difference if you
graduate your college then your wage
becomes much like this
especially if it becomes older then this
is much much much like the difference is
much bigger so that's why
all the parents here in korea they are
saying that you have to go to like a
good university and you have to study
and you know
that's why now you understand right so
if you're a foreigner then is that going
to be important to you
yes you have to graduate your college
first and if it's like a good university
then yeah that'd be great and also if
you have your work experience then it's
gonna be great too so just think about
it maybe you can experience some uh some
companies in your country and then you
can come to actually korea and then work
yeah it's actually up to you by the way
when i talk about these numbers there
are two different concepts so the there
is the concept of salary and there is
the actual amount of you know money that
you get paid so the salary let's say
your salary is like 4 000 us dollars but
if you are not like a contract employee
or something like that then they're
gonna cover your insurance and taxes and
everything so the actual amount that
you're gonna get paid it's gonna be much
less for example if your wage your
salary is higher then you're gonna pay
more for the taxes and insurance so yeah
it's really different then how about
living costs like price of living in
korea is it expensive i'll say no okay
then how about
okay it's kind of noisy but i hope you
can understand everyone because everyone
is like talking and some guys old guys
there they're fighting and yelling and
so whatever how about the price of
living in korea i would say
it's actually less than america yeah
it's kind of cheap for us but for other
countries i don't really know about that
so we cannot really compare that but you
can say that for example this one is
five dollars five dollars and this one
is five
this one is also five dollars and my
cafeteria yeah that food my lunch is
five dollars and water like one dollar
so can you see yeah it's not that
expensive not that expensive and also if
you're living in seoul then you don't
really need a car because the traffic is
like
crazy and everything is so close so you
don't need to have your car and
management fee you know so lots of my
american friends they say that okay so
i'm getting um paid less here in korea
but
i am spending much less so they can save
more money that's what they say but how
about in your country please let me know
by the comments because i really don't
know about it yeah i don't really know
about that concept because i've never
lived like abroad yeah for me the
longest time was around like three weeks
so i don't really know about it but yeah
so the last thing that we're gonna talk
about
why do we wanna get hired so much
so much you have to know that you know
there are so many different paths so we
are born in different ways then i think
all the lives are all different too the
speed and the process and the results
everything should be different but
somehow this is such a sad story but
we're kind of programmed since we were
young like okay so if you want to be
successful then you have to go to like a
good college and if you go to like a
good college then you have to work for
big companies such as like samsung cj lg
you know those companies that is like a
successful life and then you have to get
married and you have to you know have
your keys i don't know isn't it boring
for me it's boring but for some people
that is their life goal and it'll be
something very very fantastic yeah i'm
not saying that that is like so boring
or that is like wrong way but the thing
is that everyone without thinking deep
they just think that okay that is the
right way so if i'm going to another way
then i'm a loser a lot of people
actually feel like that and they feel
like i'm so lost why because all of my
friends they got hired but me i want to
do something else i want to open my own
youtube channel and i want to make
videos then yeah i have to stay still
still some people they feel like okay
youtubers they are kind of you know like
stupid people and only like those women
who are revealing skin oh revealing skin
like showing their skin and getting paid
these women they only do youtube there
is that perspective actually which is
not true you know not everybody is doing
like that so if you're going in a
different way then you're gonna feel
like okay they're saying all like
but i would say just don't care
about these things so if this video gets
more than 3 000 likes that i'm gonna
make another video about working in
korea as a foreigner how you can work
here as a foreigner and how much you're
gonna get paid these things i'm gonna
make this video so please click like
button and don't forget to subscribe to
my channel and as i told you before
nowadays i am uploading like so many
outfit photos on my instagram so please
go there and in my outfits guys thank
you so much and see you next time bye
[Music]
you
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