"Don't Nag Me," "I Just Want to Earn My Part-Time Pay"... Home-Settler Generation Refuses to Return Home

Impact of Nagging and High Inflation

#. Office worker Choi (30) booked an overseas trip during this Lunar New Year holiday and skipped the family gathering. He said, "Before COVID-19, I used to force myself to attend family gatherings, but this time I booked my travel plans months ago and told them I couldn't come," adding, "The overly intrusive conversations are uncomfortable, and since it's a rare holiday, I want to enjoy some time to recharge."

With social distancing lifted and in-person holidays returning this Lunar New Year, family gatherings seemed to increase, but there were still many who avoided returning home, known as 'Home-Seoljok' and 'Hon-Seoljok'.

'Home-Seoljok' refers to those who do not go to their hometown during the Lunar New Year holiday but instead rest at home or travel, spending the holiday individually. This is analyzed as a result of changing perceptions about family gatherings, while some also cited economic burdens and chose to work during the holiday without taking a break.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to a survey released by Gallup Korea on the 23rd ahead of last year's Chuseok holiday, 60.0% of 1,000 adults aged 18 and over nationwide responded that they had "no plans to leave home." This reflects a shift from the past when family gatherings were taken for granted to a mindset of "let's each enjoy the holiday individually."

The increase in people wanting to spend the holiday alone is analyzed to be due to a desire to avoid nagging from relatives.

Eduwill surveyed 296 adults from the 13th to the 18th about their desired plans for the Lunar New Year holiday, and 82% answered that they wanted to have time alone. Among them, the most common reason for feeling burdened by family and relative gatherings was "not wanting to hear various nagging about employment, marriage, etc.," at 28.7%.

"I'd rather work" High prices spare no one during holidays

On the 6th, about two weeks before the Lunar New Year holiday, Lunar New Year gift sets are displayed at the Lotte Department Store main branch in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Some people work during the holiday due to economic burdens. Office worker Han (29) said, "Since holiday pay is generous, I told my company I would come to work this Lunar New Year," adding, "With rent and electricity bills rising over the years, earning even a little more is better." He also complained, "Buying several gift sets is not cheap either."

Some look for short-term part-time jobs. Job seeker Kim (27) said, "My family home is in Busan, but flights are too expensive and train tickets are hard to book due to high demand," adding, "Actually, I could go cheaply, but hourly wages are higher during the holiday, so working promotional part-time jobs at marts or department stores to earn living expenses is much more helpful." According to a survey conducted by the job platform Alba Heaven on 1,580 adults ahead of last year's Chuseok holiday, 51.1% of respondents said they planned to work part-time during the holiday.

Differences in views on 'family gatherings'

It is also analyzed that this reflects a shift from the past when family gatherings during holidays were taken for granted to a mindset that values personal time. In the Eduwill survey, the second most common reason for feeling burdened by family and relative gatherings after "nagging" was "needing personal rest time (25.1%)." Additionally, 26.5% of respondents said they wanted to study or prepare for job changes or job hunting, showing a tendency to prioritize personal rest and self-development.