Living Is Tough, So People Do Side Jobs... The Heyday of 'N-jobbers'

Consumer Prices Up 5.4% Last Month... Highest in 13 Years 9 Months
Following 2030 Generation, 4050 Generation Also Embraces 'N-Job' Trend

Office workers are heading to restaurants for lunch on Mugyo-ro, Seoul. Photo by Asia Economy DB.

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] # Jang (31), an office worker at a PR agency in Mapo-gu, Seoul, started a side job in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began in earnest. Jang, who had a hobby in calligraphy (the art of writing letters or characters beautifully), began uploading free weekly lessons on YouTube. On weekends, he sells calligraphy cards he made himself at flea markets. He said, "The sales are not high, but I feel proud to earn some extra pocket money," adding, "Since I turned what I love into a side job, it is less stressful than my main job."

As prices soar, the number of so-called 'N-jobbers'?people juggling multiple jobs including side jobs besides their main work?is increasing. With the prices of daily necessities and food skyrocketing, office workers who find it difficult to maintain a satisfactory life on their salary alone are leveraging their hobbies or talents to secure additional income. Unlike 'two-jobbers,' who strictly separate their main and side jobs, 'N-jobbers' typically hold three or four different jobs simultaneously.

According to a recent survey by the employment portal Incruit of 881 office workers, 4 out of 10 (41.4%) answered "yes" when asked if they had experience doing side jobs to earn extra pocket money.

Park (26), an office worker at an advertising company, also started an online shopping mall business last year through a "Smart Store." Smart Store is a service by Naver that allows users to operate an online shopping mall for free. Selling mask-related products, Park said, "Everything except my salary has gone up. I decided to take on a side job because I thought living on my salary alone would be tight," adding, "I also thought it would be hard to survive by doing just one thing well. These days, there is no such thing as a lifelong job. Since we don't know what might happen in the future, it's better to prepare in advance."

Earlier, in September last year, according to an analysis of Statistics Korea microdata by then-People Power Party lawmaker Choo Kyung-ho, the number of workers with side jobs reached a record high of 566,000 as of July last year. This represents a 19% increase from the previous year (470,000).

Commuters are walking at the Gwanghwamun Sejong-daero intersection in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

There are also quite a few office workers taking on delivery part-time jobs. Delivery gig work has long been popular as a side job because it allows flexible working hours tailored to one's schedule. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, as the delivery market grew, the demand for delivery workers increased further. Besides this, the types of side jobs are diversifying, including opening unique shopping malls or creating and selling content by utilizing skills such as writing or drawing.

The reason office workers decide to take on side jobs is related to the recent surge in prices. This year, as inflation accelerated sharply, office workers' financial situations have become even tighter. Last month, the consumer price index rose 5.4% compared to the same month last year, marking the highest increase since August 2008 (5.6%). The living cost index, which reflects perceived inflation, also rose 6.7%, the largest increase since July 2008 (7.1%).

Given this situation, the 'N-jobber craze' is spreading not only among young people but also among middle-aged and older adults. A flea market survey conducted last month targeting 653 men and women aged 40 and above found that 60.3% of all respondents said they are currently doing side jobs. Among those who said they have side jobs, 66.5% were identified as 'N-jobbers' juggling at least one additional job.

Experts predict that the 'N-job' trend among office workers will continue. Professor Kim Taegi of Dankook University's Department of Economics said, "Last year, due to the COVID-19 impact, telecommuting increased, creating more free time. This opened opportunities to try other things like two jobs," adding, "The trend of two jobs or 'N jobs' will continue in the future."