The 50 Lowest Paying Jobs In Korea
The Harsh Truth! Careers That Don't Pay Off In Korea - List Of The 50 Lowest Paying Jobs.
As we have seen in various K-dramas and movies like Parasite, Korean society still struggles with economic inequality.
The huge wealth gap between rich and poor in Korea has been highlighted throughout the years, and it doesn’t seem to be shrinking.
Many occupations don’t provide enough income to cover the basic needs of life. As a result, many Koreans have to work two jobs in order to pay their bills.
For this article, we have used numbers reported by Korea Employment Information Service to rank the 50 lowest paid occupations in Korea.Bottom 10
Note: The numbers below are median salaries and conversions to USD are rounded.
| Profession | Average Salary |
| Poet | 5.42 million won |
| Nun | 12.62 million won |
| Priest | 14.71 million won |
| Child Care Worker | 14.76 million won |
| Theater / Musical Performers | 14.81 million won |
| Missionary Worker | 15.40 million won |
| Assistant Teacher | 15.43 million won |
| Agricultural, Forestry, Fishery and Livestock Worker | 15.44 million won |
| Novelist | 15.86 million won |
| Statistician / Survey Staff | 15.98 million won |
The survey showed that poets have the lowest average income among all occupations in Korea, making only around 4,700 USD annually.
We assume that the reported income only measures fixed monthly salaries, so book sales and royalties are most likely not included (let’s hope they do make a bit more!).
People dedicating their professional lives to religious activities, for example nuns (11,000 USD) and priests (13,000 USD), also report very low incomes.
Individuals working with theater or music are known to take part-time jobs in order to support their living.
Low-Income Jobs In Korea: 11 - 20
Note: The numbers below are median salaries and conversions to USD are rounded.
| Profession | Average Salary |
| Ecotourism Guide | 16.36 million won |
| Chores Helper | 16.49 million won |
| Buddhist Missionary Worker | 16.80 million won |
| Office Assistant | 17.32 million won |
| Security Guard | 17.42 million won |
| Background Actor | 17.49 million won |
| Gas Station Employee | 17.50 million won |
| University Teaching Assistant | 18.3 million won |
| Buddhist Priest | 18.54 million won |
| Store Clerk / Mobile Vendor | 18.73 million won |
As we can see, other low-income occupations include security guard (15,000 USD) and gas station employee (15,000 USD).
Within the category “Store Clerks / Mobile Vendors”, there is a large income gap, with some reporting their annual salary as low as 13 million won (11,000 USD), while the highest salary was 24 million won (20,000 USD).
Low-Income Jobs In Korea: 21 - 30
Note: The numbers below are median salaries and conversions to USD are rounded.
| Profession | Average Salary |
| Ticket Vendor | 18.86 million won |
| Cleaning Staff | 19.58 million won |
| Parking Staff | 19.61 million won |
| Nurse | 19.65 million won |
| Massage Therapist | 19.69 million won |
| Drama Actor | 19.97 million won |
| Singer | 20.63 million won |
| Customer Service Representative | 20.66 million won |
| Store Staff | 20.86 million won |
| Career Advisor | 21.04 million won |
Taking a look at place 21 to 30, we find more professions within the music and acting industry. It's no wonder that many aspiring actors and singers face opposition from their families – prospects of a good salary are pretty bleak.
Because of this fact, many Koreans eventually end up abandoning their dreams of becoming singers after going all-in for a number of years as trainees.
For Customer Service Representatives (18,000 USD) and Career Advisors (18,300 USD), there is almost no difference between the highest and the lowest salaries reported, and the service sector as a whole doesn’t seem ideal if you are looking to earn the big wons.
Low-Income Jobs In Korea: 31 - 40
Note: The numbers below are median salaries and conversions to USD are rounded.
| Profession | Average Salary |
| Part-time University Lecturer | 21.04 million won |
| Lottery Ticket Vendor | 21.64 million won |
| Fisherman / Diver | 21.83 million won |
| After-school Tutor | 21.96 million won |
| Reception Staff | 21.98 million won |
| Social Welfare Worker | 22.18 million won |
| Cashier Staff | 22.30 million won |
| Kitchen Assistant | 22.46 million won |
| Delivery Staff | 22.56 million won |
| Housekeeper | 22.60 million won |
Part-time university lecturers are found among the low-earners. Among the 30 respondents, some reported a meager salary of just 10 million won (8,700 USD), but others make up to 32 million won (27,800 USD).
Although working at a university is considered prestigious in Korea, many lecturers don’t make much.
The salaries of receptionists (19,100 USD), kitchen assistants (19,500 USD), and housekeepers (19,600 USD) also seem to vary depending on experience and workplace.
Low-Income Jobs In Korea: 41 - 50
Note: The numbers below are median salaries and conversions to USD are rounded.
| Profession | Average Salary |
| Packing Staff | 22.73 million won |
| Craftsman | 22.82 million won |
| Calligrapher | 22.82 million won |
| Pet Groomer | 23.02 million won |
| Tailor | 23.16 million won |
| Jewelry Designer | 23.23 million won |
| Shoe Cleaner | 23.23 million won |
| Personal Assistant | 23.37 million won |
| Art Therapist | 23.39 million won |
| Makeup Artist | 23.45 million won |
In Korea, where so much money is put into children’s education, and with living costs constantly rising, having a low-income occupation can be very distressing.
Pressure from family and society can lead to depression, and many work more hours than healthy just to make ends meet.
Let’s hope average salaries will increase and that the wealth gap will flatten out in the future!
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