How Korean Youth Are Redefining the Meaning of “Work”

-

 The way young people in Korea view “work” is being rewritten into an entirely new form. In the past, salary, company size, and job security were the primary factors in choosing a job. Today, while those still matter, the criteria have clearly shifted.

 

Many young people now say things like:

“A job has to fit my life if I’m going to stay in it,”

“I need to feel meaning and value in my work to stay motivated.”

 

This shift is especially visible in the field of social and solidarity economy and social innovation, where work is no longer just a means to make a living, but a way of connecting oneself to the world.

 

Recent young people are approaching work from a perspective different from traditional methods.(Photo by Milly) 

Work as ‘Money + Meaning + Sustainability’

 

Korean youth are not simply seeking “good-hearted work” or “idealistic labor.”

What they want is a balance:

economic stability + social value + long-term sustainability.

 

👉They prioritize:

The purpose of addressing social problems

Fair compensation and stable living conditions

Organizational culture as a core judgment criterion

 

This represents a new work culture shaped by value-driven thinking combined with realistic awareness.

 

Collaboration as a Core Part of Work

 

A defining feature of young people working in social economy and innovation organizations is that they see the collaborative process itself as a meaningful part of work.

 

In recent conversations with several young employees in social enterprises, most expressed strong satisfaction with their work environment. When asked what they valued most, the top answers were:

 

“Being able to express my ideas freely,”

“Working together and communicating openly as we move a project forward.”

 

What kind of work culture do youth prefer?

 

👀Collaborative and co-designed work

They enjoy defining problems together and finding solutions collectively rather than dividing tasks mechanically.

 

👀Experimental ways of working

Since social issues don’t have fixed answers, they prefer a culture that encourages small trials, learning, and continuous improvement.

 

👀Growth built on personal expertise

They actively develop and expand their own areas of specialization.

 

Youth Are Creating New Standards for Work

 

For young Koreans, work is no longer just an economic activity. It has become an integrated concept containing:

 

Life direction

Social value

Quality of relationships

Personal growth

Sustainability

 

They now judge work based on questions like:

 

👉What meaning does this work create for society? (value-centered)

👉Who do I work with, and how? (relationship-centered)

👉Can I maintain my life and health through this job? (sustainability-centered)

👉Does this work help me grow? (expertise-centered)

👉Are we creating something together, not alone? (collaboration-centered)

 

These criteria differ from traditional corporate HR norms or typical job-selection standards, making the social and solidarity economy an increasingly attractive option for many young people.

Additionally, these organizations often allow faster and more diverse growth experiences, which increases their appeal even more.

 

Conclusion

 

The youth working in Korea’s social and solidarity economy and social innovation sectors are moving beyond the old equation of work = survival.

They are forming a new definition:

work = value, work = relationships, work = growth, work = a way of living.

 

They experiment, collaborate, and choose work that contributes to a better society — and they see this not as an extra burden but as their life’s work.

Korean youth are not only changing how they work but also rewriting the very question of “What is work?”

This transformation is likely to become a vital force shaping the next era of Korean society.

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Viewed Posts

[Interview] The Core of the Social Solidarity Economy Lies in Building the Capacity to Address Social Challenges (Part 2)

-
Image
  South Korea is facing multiple, overlapping social challenges, including regional depopulation, low birth rates and population aging, care crises, and the climate emergency. The social solidarity economy has often been discussed as a way to address these issues through business and market-based solutions. However, in Part 2 of this interview with Kim Wang-young, we take a slightly different perspective — one that moves beyond conventional expectations of how social problems should be “solved.”   Kim argues that the role of the social solidarity economy is not limited to encouraging consumers to purchase socially driven products or services. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of enabling citizens themselves to become active participants in addressing social challenges — learning together, engaging in dialogue, and collectively organizing responses. The capacities built through this process, he explains, can become a foundation that sustains society and offers a more fu...
Read more

[Interview] Why He Emphasizes “Education” in Cooperatives (Part 1)

-
Image
  [Editor’s Note🖉] Korea’s cooperative movement and social and solidarity economy have grown rapidly over a relatively short period of time, supported by legal and institutional frameworks. Since the enactment of the Framework Act on Cooperatives in 2012, cooperatives have expanded steadily across various sectors, evolving beyond a single organizational form.   Today, however, the central question is shifting — from “How many cooperatives have been created?” to “How well are they actually functioning?” The focus is moving away from quantitative growth toward qualitative maturity.   This interview captures the perspective of Kim Wang-young, CEO of CoopBiz Cooperative, who has long engaged with cooperatives and the social and solidarity economy through the lens of education. As both a young practitioner and a long-time participant in the field, he offers candid reflections from on-the-ground experience. Rather than focusing solely on institutional outcomes or busin...
Read more

The Rise of K-Cooperatives: An Interview with Expert Ki-dae Lee (Part 1)

-
Image
 South Korea’s social economy has grown rapidly over the past decade, largely through government-led support systems. A key turning point came in 2012, when the United Nations designated the year as the International Year of Cooperatives. In the same year, South Korea enacted the Framework Act on Cooperatives, laying the legal foundation for cooperative development. Since then, cooperatives in Korea have continued to grow steadily.   This article features an interview with Lee Gi-dae, a leading expert in the Korean cooperative sector. Lee currently serves as Deputy Director of the Research Institute affiliated with CoopBiz Cooperative, Chairperson of Dream Sharing Social Cooperative, and General Committee Member of the Policy and Institutional Committee of the Korea Social and Solidarity Economy Association. He is also actively involved in SE-ACT (Solidarity Economy in Action), which has been introduced previously on this blog. For clarity and consistency, he will be refer...
Read more