No Sleep, 2 Jobs: Can Young South Koreans Escape Hell Joseon Rat Race? | Asia’s Stuck Generation

South Korea may be home to K-pop culture and TV dramas, but life for the average young Korean is less glamorous. Millennials and Gen Zs in Korea face high housing and other costs, and there is intense competition to get into top universities - which can determine one’s earning power and career opportunities for life. Many hold multiple jobs, or sleep only 2-3 hours a night.

The pressure is so intense that in 2021, South Korea’s suicide rate was the highest among OECD countries; while others have become hikikomori. CNA Insider meets four young Koreans who are trying to cope and chart their own paths out of the rat race.

00:00 Intro
01:17 Why a 32yo needs two jobs
02:43 A degree doesn’t mean earning power
04:25 How a millennial saves 75% of her salary
05:22 What 18-hour work day is like
06:15 How unaffordable is housing in Seoul?
06:53 The Jeonse rental scheme explained
07:36 Living in a goshiwon (‘study room’) for 5 years
11:03 Why South Korea is ‘Hell Joseon’
13:36 Becoming a hikikomori or social recluse
17:22 Way to break free of the rat race?
19:28 Undergrad who works 2 jobs
21:24 Why parents spend on hagwon (cram school) fees
22:48 Can young South Koreans afford to grow old?
23:42 Still hopeful: How millennials see their future

IF YOU NEED HELP:
Suicide Hotline (Korea): 119 or 1588-9191
Samaritans of Singapore Hotline: 1-767
Befrienders Kuala Lumpur: 0376272929
National Center for Mental Health (Philippines): 0917-899-8727

MORE ON ASIA’S STUCK GENERATION:
Stuck with Low Pay, How Taiwan’s Young Graduates Cope With High Costs:

ALSO WATCH:
China's Youth Unemployment At Record Highs: Meet The Jobless Graduates | Insight:
Meet China’s ‘Full Time Children’: Why Unemployed Youths Are Working For Their Parents:
Why China's Gen Zs And Millennials Are ‘Quiet Quitting’: The ‘Bai Lan’ Movement :
Millennials & Gen Z: Young And In Debt. Why? |Talking Point:
Hell Joseon: The Price Of Happiness In South Korea | Deciphering South Korea :
What's The Cost Of Being The Hardest Workers In The World? | Deciphering Japan:

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[eggrice_kim]

I'm Park Min-ji (YouTube nickname: Kim-al-bob) who appeared in the video. It was a great time to show my life in my 20s in Korea and express my opinion. I got energy from seeing a lot of supportive comments! I'm rooting for you all! Thank you.

[passerby]

PSA: Sleeping three hours a day will KILL YOU. Don't do that.

[harsha]

Kdramas are so detached from reality, it mostly potrayes the top 2%

[eunyoungmoon]

This video reminds me of why I left Korea. I was considered a 'winner' in its intensely competitive society, having graduated with both a BA and MA from Y, one of the SKY. I secured a job in a major Jaebol conglomerate, earning a high salary. However, I found myself frustrated because the so-called successful life was also miserable. The competition was relentless, especially within the firm for higher positions. Despite the high pay, there was no time to enjoy the money earned, and the never-ending comparisons made it a challenging environment. Even those deemed 'winners' were not happy, who would be?

[hellraiser]

Call me lazy but i'd rather die than working 18 hours a day. 9 hours a day is already torturing my body. Sleeping less than 5 hours is a hell on earth 🤯

[albertocordova]

Truck driver living in Sweden! Work from 6 am to 15:00 pm every day, never work on weekends, I make 34000kr = 3400 dollars, after tax I get Around 26500kr = 2650 dollar. I pay rent 850$ light 35$ internet 30$ gym 30$ union 65$ cellphone 35$. After I pay everything I have left around 1500$, I save 500$ and use the rest to eat
, transportation etc, I go on vacation two times a year… Thank God I live in a country such as Sweden 🙏

[joebazooks]

this is happening all over the world. the rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer. the poor are withdrawing because: whats the point in playing the game when you know the game is rigged and youll never get ahead no matter how hard or long you work?

[Miyankochan]

I have been amazed at how people can glorify no sleep. In my experience Koreans do that the most. Sleep is an essential part of human life. It's not something we "deserve" or not. What's next? The need to prove our worth to deserve air?

[MissyNam-dczp]

Mexican here, I got a dream job in a good company and I was treated like a slave...I was working from 7-8 am until 11-12 pm but they keep reminding me how lucky I was for being there 😂 I quit and I'll never go back...I'd rather starve to death than going back to that place 😊

[davisurdaneta]

That's not just happening in South Korea, It's a global phenomenon in most developed countries. Whe have the same situation here in Canada. Many young people are suffering from depression and becoming homeless due to many social issues, unaffordable cost of living and lack of job opportunities.

[Chrisfeb]

I grew up in the late 70s and the 80s, I'm in my mid-50s now and coming to the end of my working career. I don't envy kids that are coming into the working world nowadays. I don't care what country you're in things just seem to have gotten harder.

[crystalidx]

I was born in South Korea, but my family immigrated to Canada. My dad thought that I'd get bullied in high school and the military service would be too hard for me. I am glad that I don't live in South Korea anymore. There are so much more opportunities here in Canada, but my dad had to sacrifice his well-paying professional job for me and my brothers can have a better future.

[pandecocojam]

Jaram is impressive for saving 75% of her income

[_w_w_]

This issue is not isolated to South Korea. I am in tech, in the US. Globalization, endless innovations, competition, and neck-breaking speed means crazy long hours. I work 15 to 17 hour days, 6 days a week, including holidays. The pandemic induced work-from-home approach means I now burn 16 to 19 hours a day with work. I absolutely stop at 19 hours, so I can have 5 hours to sleep. Having a good education and moving up the career ladder doesn't mean you work less and it usually means the opposite. So the issue impacts all segments of society. You have these youth that don't have enough money to live, and you have older generation that make more money but absolutely no time to spend money or enjoy life or the fruition of the hard work. What the world need is to slow down... We don't need a new phone, tech toy, or TV every year...

[chrischristoferson]

This is such a horrible way to live. No sleep, no life, no relationship- just endless work.

[loupiote]

The part where they said that living in a small room can have long lasting impacts on mental health ringed a bell. Three years ago, I've lived for about 7 months in a very small appartment in Paris due to the high renting price there (the room was the size of two double beds, the single room included a bed, a kitchen counter and a desk, and the windows were so high that you couldn't see outside without standing on a chair). Because of the lockdown I could only go sometime outside for work or meeting my friends, so I stayed about 5 days at home per weeks.
Well I've never been more depressed than in those times. Being so confined in this space, the littlest inconvenience in the house (the heater not working, my fridge breaking etc) put me in genuine dispair. For idk what reason, I started being scared of inviting people to come over, or even come outside. At the end I could spend days sitting down on the ground against my bed listening to the noises my neighbour's parrot was making.
Then I've been hospitalized (for other health conditions) and moved out but looking back it was scary what this place did to me.

[jesswhycamarz]

Struggling to pay rent and groceries is the global trauma bond. 😢

[abbeabbe]

As a vet myself, I wish I could meet Rego. I would help him. I hope people will not live in despair but learn other ways to free themselves.

[MadAtreides]

I live in Italy, have a degree in psychology and work as a hand in a glass foundry. The imbalance between scholarization and workplaces is not just a Korean thing.

[NHJDT]

My family moved from Korea to the US when I was 7. I'm 48 now and feel so blessed that. We recently visited Korea for two months and seeing the rest of the relatives live such meager living standards and most still being fairly poor reiterated to my father that he and my mom made the right choice 40 years ago.