Personal Satisfaction and Interest Over Economic Achievement
From Specification-Centered to Experience-Centered Views of Success
Global job experience theme park Kidzania (CEO Kang Jaehyung) announced on the 24th that the results of its "Definition of Success" survey, conducted with customers throughout November, showed that both parents and children regard personal satisfaction and happiness as the core elements of success, rather than economic achievement or external evaluation.
The survey was conducted both online and offline, with a total of 721 participants including parents and students. According to the results, about 65% of student respondents selected "living happily while doing what you love" as the most important criterion for success. This was followed by economic success (about 15%), recognition by others (about 9%), and academic achievement (about 9%), indicating that students prioritize interest and satisfaction over outcomes and prefer aptitude-based career paths.
Parent respondents also cited a "happiness-centered perspective on success" as the most important value. In particular, 55% of parents chose "accumulating experience through various activities" as the most important factor for their children's success, and 83% said they were willing to have their children participate in job experience activities where they can learn and grow with enjoyment. This demonstrates that parents not only value their children's happiness but also actively support career exploration through practical experiences.
While students tend to focus on interest and satisfaction and parents consider both happiness and stability, both generations share a common recognition in choosing "happiness" as the key criterion for success. This suggests a shift in society's overall perception, moving away from a specification-centered view of success toward one that values personal values and experiences.
A Kidzania representative stated, "This survey shows that the definition of success is shifting from being results-oriented to focusing on happiness and satisfaction," and added, "We will continue to enhance the career exploration environment so that children can discover their interests and aptitudes through job experiences while also considering the stability that parents expect."
The representative further commented, "We will refine our experience content so that play-based learning can become the foundation for future competencies and career choices, enabling both parents and children to design their own 'happy success.'"
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