Erasing the Line Between Work and Leisure in Korea

This paper examines the blurring of the line between work and leisure in Korea, which is now in a highly industrialized, hard-working society prompted by rapid globalization. It also has a well-developed ICT infrastructure with a highly educated and skilled labour force, now evolving into an increasingly older society within a creative, service economy. In these contexts, individuals in Korea, both at work and at leisure, are facing diverse inequalities depending on their social structural conditions. This paper mainly regards leisure as un-coerced activity, while looking at work and leisure from the angles of time, place, ageing, gender and activity. First, it examines why and how the once clear dividing line separating time or place between work and leisure has been erased. Then, it looks at whether the age-segregated life-cycle has been transformed into one that is age-integrated. Next, it considers women’s entry into the work force and whether the conventional values of work and leisure have been changed. Finally, the traditional notions of labour and leisure activities are challenged by both positive and negative views on leisure. As conceptual background the concepts of devotee work, which is part of the Serious Leisure Perspective (SLP), and the labour of leisure are introduced and compared. After investigating the complex relationships between work and leisure, related implications are then taken up.