[Beijing Diary] Why a Young Man Earning 4 Million Won a Month Moved to the Countryside

"When I was doing marketing at a real estate company, my monthly income was about 10,000 to 20,000 yuan (approximately 1.9 million to 3.8 million KRW). Now, it is less than that. However, when I think about the sense of accomplishment and the time spent with my parents, my satisfaction is much higher. I have no regrets."

Cheon Haichen, a 29-year-old young man, was met in front of a farm in Zhengcheng District, Guangzhou City, China, during a recent vacation. Unlike friends who became civil servants or worked for large city companies, his career path of entering the family business of lychee farming, inherited from his grandfather, was intriguing. Considering the youth unemployment rate, officially 14.2% (as of May) by the National Bureau of Statistics and unofficially exceeding 40%, it was even more so. Young people like Cheon who return to farming and engage in agriculture in China are called 'Xin Nongmin (新農民)' or 'New Farmers.'

A lychee farm located in Zhengcheng District, Guangzhou City, China, is displaying lychees and related products. (Photo by Kim Hyunjung)

He did not return to his hometown dreaming of a pastoral life and romance like the protagonist in the movie Little Forest. Having grown up watching his elders struggle with their livelihoods for a long time, he was well aware that the work was tough. He said his decision was based on thoroughly examining the competitiveness of the lychee variety grown in the orchard (Xianjinfeng·仙進奉, the most expensive lychee variety) and the growth potential through expanding sales via live streaming. The central and local governments of China, which claim to be an 'agricultural powerhouse,' provide considerable subsidies, and large companies like Huawei support live streaming with 5G technology. Instead of entering the fiercely competitive job market, he chose a life of building things step by step with his family.

In February, local media China Youth Daily and the video platform Kuaishou conducted a 'New Occupation Employment Situation Survey' targeting 3,153 young people in 'new occupations.' New occupations refer to young people engaged in employment and entrepreneurship through related platforms in China's rapidly growing digital economy. 80% of the respondents said they succeeded in employment or entrepreneurship through live streaming platforms. Specific jobs included product developers, live streaming e-commerce operators, data analysts, video editors, and product coordinators. Broadly speaking, this could also include new farmers like Cheon who inherit their parents' businesses and return to rural areas.

According to a survey conducted last year by China's social networking service Weibo on 'What modern youth pay attention to when seeking employment,' 61.6% of 10,000 respondents considered internet broadcasting as an emerging profession. Only 38.4% chose employment in general companies or as civil servants. According to statistics from the China Performing Arts Industry Association, by the end of 2022, the number of online broadcasters (streamers) in China exceeded 150 million.

This phenomenon is the result of rapid technological advancements such as 5G, online platform development, drone agriculture, and the boom of e-commerce. Coupled with the adverse factor of imbalance between youth job demand and supply, it is a market that has unexpectedly grown rapidly. However, crisis is opportunity. It is hoped that Chinese youth who have taken on new challenges will lead China, which faces the quagmire of low growth.