COVID-19 Unemployment Crisis... Airline Flight Attendants Flock to 'Show Host Open Recruitment'

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Amid ongoing unemployment crises across various sectors due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), thousands of applicants recently flocked to a public recruitment for home shopping show hosts. A significant number of these applicants were airline flight attendants, vividly illustrating the difficulties faced by the aviation industry, which was directly hit by COVID-19.

According to the home shopping industry on the 25th, more than 20% more applicants applied for the public recruitment of show hosts by CJ ENM O Shopping Division (CJ O Shopping) and GS Home Shopping, which began last September, compared to last year. In the case of CJ O Shopping, over a thousand applicants participated, reportedly resulting in a competition ratio of several hundred to one.

Industry insiders noted that the number of airline flight attendant applicants has significantly increased compared to previous years in this show host public recruitment. Due to the impact of COVID-19 this year, many airline flight attendants have entered paid or unpaid leave. With extended leave periods and no guarantee that the global spread of COVID-19 will stabilize next year, flight attendants appear to be seeking self-help measures.

Additionally, the fact that many former airline flight attendants are among the show hosts seems to have influenced current flight attendants to apply for this show host recruitment. Notable examples include Son Seolhyung and Lee Narae, who belong to CJ O Shopping. A home shopping industry official explained, “As non-face-to-face consumption has become active this year, the industry is expected to increase show host recruitment beyond the original plan,” but added, “Nevertheless, since only single-digit numbers will be hired, the competition ratio will be fierce at several hundred to one.”

Meanwhile, the unemployment crisis caused by COVID-19 continues in many places this year. The duty-free shop industry, which was also directly hit by COVID-19 like the aviation industry, is a representative example. Airport duty-free shops have been closed for nearly a year since February. As a result, by August, 11,600 duty-free shop employees, accounting for 33% of the workforce, lost their jobs. Of the unemployed, 96.6% were employees of partner or subcontractor companies.

With the bidding for the Incheon International Airport duty-free shop business rights stalled for half a year, about 2,200 employees working at the Incheon International Airport duty-free shops are also facing a mass unemployment crisis. Although the government urgently provided employment stability support funds to duty-free shops, all employees?including brand staff, sales staff, and partner company employees?will become unemployed starting this December. Finding new jobs is difficult, so they are in a position where they must rely on unemployment benefits.

A duty-free shop industry official stated, “Most partner companies operate by receiving sales commissions from duty-free shops, but with the duty-free shops’ operations suspended for several months, partner companies are also facing bankruptcy risks,” adding, “The number of unemployed people is inevitably going to increase further.”