Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Corporal]

Holy crap! You know how the littlies are supposed to bow to their elders on Seolnal and then they get money for it? I always thought this was pocket change. As in, Baby Corp got 5,000 won from her great-uncle just for being cute (obviously she can't bow yet). So I thought, okay, cool. Then we get home and I find out today from our neighbor that her little girl (5-6 years) got a total of 160,000 won from various family members, and that she knew plenty more who got around that much cash. (Her mom pocketed it, incidentally...)

Did you guys know about this? Wow, kids as instant money-makers, that's cool shit. Now I'm wishing Seolnal happened more often.

[peppermint]

I knew they got money, so I asked how much. One student said she expected 300,000.

C'mon these kids don't really get a North American, spoiled rotten type Christmas, and they don't get Easter eggs- why shouldn't they get a little $$$?

[Corporal]

Hey, don't misread me--I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it. It just surprised me, as I thought it was a lot less cash than that.

[Ody]

The kids in my family do okay, they work for it though. a LOT of bowing is involved and it helps if you have a large family.

[HardyandTiny]

Isn't there a current Korean best seller about a 12 year-old girl that saved 10,000,000 won? I can't remember the details. Anyone?
The title is something like ""her name" who saved 10 million"

[Ya-ta Boy]

According to my friends, everyone's mom takes the money even if the kid is 17. They just take it, switch envelopes and give it to the cousin. So in the end, it balances out. You hand out 180,000 to all the neices and nephews and then collect the same amount.

It's more form than substance.

[Dan]

[Homer]

When we did the whole new year bow ceremony at my in-laws I was surprised to get cash.
But, in the end that money went to pay for the big dinner that was given for the larger family on that evening. So, it all works out....

As for kids, my nieces get some dough when they bow to their parents and that money seems to be partly for fun and mostly saved for education. Nice twist I found.

[crazylemongirl]

also the fact that korean teens in general aren't doing mcjobs. My students were shocked at the idea I was doing paper routes, and odd jobs for neighbours from about 10. And I started working the cash register since 15.

[camel96]

One kid told me he got 250,000 won but he's expected to buy clothes etc with it. Apparently the grandparents get upset if it's all wasted on crack.

[seoulmon]

I had one student rack up 1 million four. Seriously! The usual though was about 3hundredk....

[rapier]

K-Kids are spoiled to hell. They sit at the top of a pyramid scheme, an obligatory money- doleing out racket that every Korean has to contribute to. My poor Korean co-workers told me about the money they have to save to present to all their multitude of nieces and nephews.. of course they get given money too, but the older you are, the more you lose than accumulate...

[kangnamdragon]

I got 90,000 just for bowing to my friend's family in about 5 minutes.

[ryleeys]

Did you give it back and ask if they really meant to give it to you?

[kangnamdragon]