First-grade students at an elementary school in Busan are learning kids’ golf during their winter break. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — A majority of South Korean elementary school students dream of becoming entertainers, athletes, or professionals in creative fields, according to a report published on January 9 by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs and Seoul National University’s Social Welfare Research Center.
Key Findings
The survey, conducted in March 2024, involved 330 students in grades 4 through 6. It asked children to select their top two career choices based on the Korean Standard Occupational Classification system.
- Top Career Choice: “Cultural, Arts, and Sports Professionals” emerged as the most desired career category, with 43.22% of respondents listing it as their first choice. This group includes actors, singers, athletes, directors, designers, writers, and journalists.
- Other Career Preferences:Additional interests included roles in public and corporate leadership (5.22%), science (4.95%), IT (4.86%), beauty and hospitality (2.40%), and engineering (1.58%).
- “Healthcare, Social Welfare, and Religious Professionals” ranked second (10.02%), encompassing doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and social workers.
- “Education Professionals” (9.35%), “Legal and Administrative Professionals” (7.30%), and “Culinary and Food Service Jobs” (6.76%) followed.
- Additional interests included roles in public and corporate leadership (5.22%), science (4.95%), IT (4.86%), beauty and hospitality (2.40%), and engineering (1.58%).
For second-choice careers, the same categories prevailed, with 21.53% selecting “Cultural, Arts, and Sports Professionals,” followed by “Culinary and Food Service Jobs” (12.20%) and “Education Professionals” (11.11%).
Optimism About Future Careers
Nearly half of the children expressed optimism about achieving their top career choice, with 41.51% believing it was “somewhat possible” and 11.73% responding “very possible.”
The findings reflect growing interest among South Korean children in creative and high-profile professions, highlighting societal trends and aspirations shaped by the media and cultural industries.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
