"Spending 700,000 Won on Rent Felt Wasteful"... MZ Generation Chooses Life as 'Full-Time Children' Doing Household Chores for Allowance

Different From the 'Kangaroo Tribe' and 'NEETs': Dedicated to Household and Caregiving Duties
54% of Young People Live With Their Parents... Employment Crisis and Housing Costs Weigh Heavy

With the ongoing severe job crisis, housing shortage, and high inflation, a new social phenomenon has emerged in which so-called "full-time children" live with their parents and take full responsibility for household chores.

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The term "full-time children" refers to adult children who, instead of engaging in formal employment or economic activity, live with their parents, take care of household chores and caregiving, and receive financial support such as allowances or living expenses in return. The neologism first appeared in China, which recorded the highest youth unemployment rate in its history in 2023, and has recently started to be more widely used in Korea as related books have been published.

These individuals differ somewhat from "kangaroo tribes," who are financially dependent on their parents, or "NEETs," who are not in employment, education, or training and lack willingness to work. This distinction comes from the fact that full-time children prepare breakfast and dinner, handle cleaning, laundry, and recycling, and even accompany their parents to medical appointments, carrying out both housework and caregiving duties.

Recently, they have even been nicknamed "Home Protectors," and the phenomenon has become prominent enough to be featured in comedy programs that use "full-time children job interviews" as a theme, highlighting its growing role as a social trend.

The daily lives of full-time children who take care of household chores and caregiving are being shared on social media. Photo by SBS news screen capture

Job Crisis and Rising Rent Burdens: 54% of Young Adults Live with Parents

According to the "2024 Survey on the Living Conditions of Young People" released by the Office for Government Policy Coordination on June 16, 54.4% of young adults aged 19 to 34 currently live with their parents. The rate was highest among those aged 19 to 24 at 78.1%, followed by 56.0% for those aged 25 to 29, and 29.9% for those aged 30 to 34.

The increase in young people living with their parents can be attributed to the job crisis and the burden of housing costs. According to the "May Employment Trends" released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics, the number of employed young people (aged 15 to 29) plummeted by 255,000 compared to the same month last year.

In addition, the sharp rise in independent living costs such as monthly rent, key money deposit, and food expenses has led more young people to give up living alone and return to their parental homes, even if they remain unemployed.

On YouTube and social networking services (SNS), various stories are being shared, such as those of people in their 20s who paid 700,000 won in monthly rent in Seoul for over five years but ultimately moved back home, and those in their 30s who, after graduating from prestigious universities and spending years preparing for employment, have become full-time children.

"A Sad Reality" vs "Worried About the Future": Divided Opinions on 'Full-Time Children'

As the full-time children phenomenon emerges as a social trend, opinions on the issue are divided.

On online communities, some express empathy and support, saying, "The bitter term 'full-time children' reflects the reality of today's youth," and "In difficult times for employment, living together as a family is also a valid choice."

On the other hand, there are also concerns. Critics point out that "It's a job that ends if the parent, who is the employer, becomes ill or retires," and "Ultimately, it could lead to a loss of self-reliance and economic hardship in old age." If parents' retirement pensions stop or their health deteriorates, the children may also be seriously affected.

Meanwhile, Yeongsoo Jeon, a professor at Hanyang University Graduate School of International Studies who recently published the book "Full-Time Children," appeared on the YouTube channel "Kimjakga TV" and said, "It's important not to view full-time children too negatively." He added, "Since this is already an irreversible social phenomenon and is likely to increase, we should actively embrace it and consider ways to leverage it as a new opportunity."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.