Why an SK Hynix Employee’s “I Just Spent Some Money” Post After a 136 Million Won Bonus Is Drawing Praise

SK Hynix Employee Shares Donation Story
Delivers Pizza, Fruit, and Snacks to Childcare Center
Netizens Applaud: "A Positive Influence"

As news of SK Hynix's "record-breaking performance bonuses" spreads amid the artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor boom, the story of an SK Hynix employee's donation to a childcare center has garnered attention.

Recently, an SK Hynix employee, referred to as "A," posted on the anonymous workplace community "Blind" under the title "Let me brag a little today. I just spent some money," sharing that they delivered 10 pizzas, fruit, snacks, and more to a childcare center in Jochiwon, Sejong City.

Yonhap News Agency

The photos uploaded by A show pizzas, nuts, and various fruits such as strawberries, Shine Muscat grapes, and tangerines delivered to the childcare center. Blind is a platform that requires workplace email verification for registration, and the user's company is displayed when posting.

A commented, "Today, I made the wisest purchase of my life," adding, "After hearing that the children at the center rarely get to eat nuts, I bought and delivered a variety of nuts for them."

They continued, "My school days were very difficult, so I promised myself that once I got a job and settled down, I would donate to a childcare center and send delicious food. It took me a long time to fulfill that promise."

They added, "Before going, I went grocery shopping with a happy heart, tasted the fruit to make sure it was good, and put a lot of care into choosing what to buy. But after visiting, I felt happy yet also deeply sad. I don't know why I felt so sad driving home. I wonder if I was the one who received comfort. I just want all the children to be happy, but I worry that reality might not allow that, and it upsets me," expressing their honest feelings.

A, who also revealed they are a parent, said, "I've been struggling to get by until now, but today, for the first time, I feel like I spent money in a truly meaningful way. If you've ever had similar thoughts, I encourage you to give it a try. Giving to others isn't just for the wealthy. Volunteering made me feel both grateful and sorry, and I didn't expect to have such mixed emotions."

Employee A from SK Hynix has gained attention for donating food for children at a childcare center in Sejong. Blind

The post received significant attention, garnering over 500 comments and 3,000 likes. Online users left comments such as, "Reading this reminded me of promises I made to myself as a child," "You did really well. I applaud you," "I'll learn from this. You're amazing," "Positive influence," "This is the trickle-down effect," "Your heart is as generous as your salary," "Charity is the best kind of 'flex' a person can do," and "It's hard to put this into action, but you really did it."

As the post gained attention, A added a follow-up comment saying, "I didn't expect to receive so much support for something that isn't even a big deal," and advised, "If you plan to visit a childcare center, ask in advance what they need. Since there are others who bring snacks with good intentions, it's best to call ahead to avoid overlap."

Meanwhile, last year, SK Hynix labor and management agreed to abolish the previous performance-based pay (PS) cap of "up to 1,000% of base salary" and instead allocate 10% of the previous year's operating profit as the total PS pool. Of this, 80% of the calculated PS amount will be paid out in the current year, with the remaining 20% deferred over two years. The average payout per employee, among approximately 33,000 eligible staff, is expected to be around 136 million won per person.