Taking Off Uniform and Diving into the Sea... "I Fulfilled My Dream of Living in Jeju for a Month"

McDonald's 'Working Holiday in Jeju' 11 Participants
9:1 Competition Ratio... 5 Weeks Working in Seogwipo, etc.
Enjoy Leisure Activities like Surfing, Snorkeling, and Diving

"After finishing work, I often take a quick dip in the sea about a 15-minute walk away." - Yoon Tae-jong, Crew at Seoul Jongam SK DT Branch (Dispatched from Jeju World Cup Stadium DT Branch)

"Yesterday was surfing, today is horseback riding, and tomorrow I will experience scuba diving. I am spending every day meaningfully." - Kim Min-kyung, Crew at Busan Hwamyung DT Branch (Dispatched from Jeju Seogwipo DT Branch)

"In the city, I felt harshness due to busy office workers urging their orders, but in Jeju, most customers are tourists on vacation, so they are generous and relaxed, which makes me feel good together." - Jung Hye-jin, Crew at Daegu Dasa DT Branch (Dispatched from Jeju Seogwipo DT Branch)

On the 3rd, after conducting an interview at Mureung Oegatjip in Seogwipo-si, Jeju, McDonald's crew members Yoon Tae-jong, Jung Hye-jin, and Kim Min-kyung are taking a commemorative photo (from left). Photo by Moon Hye-won

Eleven fresh young workers in their twenties, including university students and job seekers, started their one-month stay in Jeju from the 12th of last month. They are participants of the ‘Working Holiday in Jeju’ program recruited by McDonald’s Korea, selected from crews working at McDonald’s stores across inland areas such as Seoul, Busan, and Daegu, overcoming a high competition rate of 9 to 1. McDonald’s provides them with round-trip airfare, accommodation near their workplace, and activity expenses. Their wages are applied according to the existing standards based on working hours.

The selected crews work four days a week at branches such as Seogwipo. Every Thursday is designated as a group day off, allowing them to explore various natural landscapes across Jeju Island and enjoy leisure activities.

On the 3rd, the 11 crews met at Murung Oegatjip in Seogwipo City, Jeju, where they were experiencing making handmade green tangerine syrup. Kim Min-kyung, a crew member at Jeju Seogwipo DT Branch, said, "I worked without a break for about three years since I was twenty, feeling worn out by people and boredom, but participating in this Jeju working holiday has been healing every day, and meeting new employees gives me bright energy."

Eleven crew members participating in the McDonald's Working Holiday in Jeju program took part in a cooking class held on the 3rd at Mureung Oegatjip in Seogwipo-si, Jeju, where they made Jeju green tangerine syrup and took a commemorative photo. Photo by Moon Hyewon

Their age range is 20 to 26, mostly young people who experienced quiet university life with no group gatherings or dormitory activities due to social distancing guidelines, or harsh job preparation periods due to economic downturns. This one-month group living and collective experience is truly a precious and welcome opportunity like rain in a drought for them.

Initially, not only the participants but also the management team were concerned about the ‘territorial behavior’ of local Jeju store employees or systemic differences from inland stores, but thanks to meeting employees of the same age group, they are treated kindly and spend enjoyable times together, including visiting hidden ‘real restaurants’ known only to locals.

Yoon Tae-jong, crew at Jeju World Cup Stadium DT Branch, said, "Jeju dialect is very difficult, and I often get confused when local customers come, but the native Jeju employees working with me kindly help me every time, which is a great support."

Eleven crew members participated in the McDonald's Working Holiday in Jeju program, and on the 3rd, they were interviewed at Murung Oegatjip in Seogwipo-si, Jeju. From the left, McDonald's crew members Yoon Tae-jong, Jung Hye-jin, and Kim Min-kyung. Photo by Moon Hye-won

Working in Jeju, the representative domestic vacation spot during the peak summer months of July and August, means dealing with many customers. The dispatched crews work at busy locations such as Seogwipo DT Branch near the cruise ship port and Jeju World Cup Stadium DT Branch near the bus terminal, where there is heavy foot traffic. However, they feel happiness and comfort dealing with tourists visiting vacation spots rather than the inland customers they face in their routine daily lives.

Jung Hye-jin, crew at Jeju Seogwipo DT Branch, smiled and said, "In Daegu, where I originally worked, most customers are office workers with a ‘fast-paced’ habit, so I always had to be tense, but in Jeju, since most customers are tourists on vacation, they seem to be in a good mood, and even if the food is served late, no one frowns and apologizes." She added, "Many foreign customers also come, so I feel proud to be able to use the Chinese and English I learned while preparing for employment," and "I enjoy and look forward to going to work every day."