"Not Going Home or Traveling, Just Want to Earn More Money"... Young People Choosing 'Lump Sum Part-Time Jobs'

6 Out of 10 Part-Timers Say "Working Even During Seollal Holiday"
MZ Generation Not Returning to Hometowns... Changing Holiday Traditions
Rising Appeal of Short-Term Jobs Due to Increase in Contactless Services

Office worker A (26) decided to spend three days of the Lunar New Year holiday period doing short-term part-time jobs such as delivery app rider and daily transportation. Since he does not have to go back to his hometown or make travel plans during the holiday, he said, "Many companies offer higher hourly wages during the holidays because there are fewer people willing to work. It's a golden opportunity to save a large sum of money."

As more university students and office workers seek to capitalize on the short-term part-time job boom during the holidays, the landscape of the 'nation's biggest holiday,' Seollal, is changing. The traditional notion that the holiday must be spent with family has weakened, and with the rise of contactless service industries, demand for delivery and distribution has increased, leading younger generations to increasingly view the holiday as an 'opportunity to earn money.'

As the number of 'Honseoljok' spending the holiday alone increases, short-term part-time jobs are also expected to become more active. Asia Economy DB

According to a survey conducted by the job portal 'Alba Heaven' on the 15th targeting 585 part-time workers, more than 6 out of 10 respondents (66.5%) said they plan to continue working during the Lunar New Year holiday. The reasons for working during the holiday were 'no special plans during the holiday' (28.3%, multiple answers allowed), 'to earn pocket money in a short time' (21.9%), 'need for additional income' (19%), and 'needed a large sum for travel expenses, tuition, etc.' (15.2%). This indicates that many see the holiday, when there is a shortage of workers, as an opportunity to generate income.

An Alba Heaven official who conducted the survey analyzed, "Recently, as the number of 'honseoljok' (those spending Seollal alone) has increased, the demand for part-time jobs to make good use of spare time is also rising."

This trend is especially prominent among people in their 20s. A survey conducted by Lotte Members early last year targeting 2,000 members in their 20s showed that 51.2% responded that they would rest at home during the Seollal holiday, exceeding half. In contrast, only 31.3% said they would visit their hometown or parents' and relatives' homes.

Delivery scooters are parked in front of a Baemin Riders center in downtown Seoul. Not related to any specific expression among the articles. Yonhap News Agency

The possibility of earning more money than usual is cited as a reason for preferring holiday part-time jobs. According to Alba Heaven's survey, the expected hourly wage for part-time jobs during the Lunar New Year holiday is 12,591 won, about 25% higher than this year's statutory minimum wage (10,030 won).

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for contactless services has increased, leading to more short-term part-time job opportunities. The industries with many part-time workers stating they will work during the Lunar New Year holiday are distribution and sales (78.4%), food service and beverage (74.9%), service industry (74.4%), and driving and delivery (72.2%). According to 'Baemin Trend 2024,' a data analysis service by the delivery app Baedal Minjok, the number of food orders increased by 29% on the first and last days of holiday periods such as Seollal and Chuseok compared to the previous week. The longer the holiday, the greater the demand for ultra-short-term jobs such as delivery riders.

As many young people flock to find short-term jobs during the Lunar New Year holiday, job platforms like Albamon and Alba Heaven have opened and are operating a 'Seollal Part-time Job Hiring Center' service from the 15th until the end of this month. This service is designed for job seekers looking for short-term jobs during the holiday period, gathering recruitment information specialized in holiday season industries such as department stores, distribution, courier, and delivery to enhance job search convenience. It also provides search filters allowing users to select region, work period, and employment type, enabling job seekers to find Seollal jobs that meet their desired conditions.