"What Is Annual Leave? We Go to Work Even When Sick"... The Reality for Kindergarten Teachers Is Harsher Than Satire

Kindergarten teacher Minji Lee leaves for work at 4 a.m. to provide morning care for children of dual-income parents. She deals with various parent complaints from the early morning, such as requests to use wet wipes containing eucalyptus or demands that teachers not go clubbing, to the point where she feels overwhelmed. She teaches stock market basics to three-year-olds, cleans up after children during lunch, and cannot leave the kindergarten late into the night due to the demand for evening care. After a full day of raising her voice to communicate with both parents and children, her voice finally gives out only after the last child has left.

This is the storyline of the episode "Human Documentary: True Extreme Jobs - Kindergarten Teacher," featuring comedian Suji Lee as teacher Minji Lee.

A scene from the video "Human Documentary: True Extreme Jobs" uploaded by comedian Suji Lee on her YouTube channel on the 7th. Suji Lee YouTube channel "Hot Issue J".

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This content, which satirizes the reality of kindergarten teachers suffering from parent complaints, excessive work, and emotional labor, reached 5 million views within 10 days of being posted. In over 20,000 comments, current and former teachers unanimously stated, "The reality is even worse."

Recently, after the death of a private kindergarten teacher in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, who continued to work despite flu symptoms, calls to improve the harsh working conditions for kindergarten teachers have grown even louder. Amid this, a recent survey found that 6 out of 10 kindergarten teachers said they "cannot use annual leave, or are unsure if it's allowed."

According to the group "World Without Worries About Private Education" on April 17, only 38.3% of kindergarten teachers reported being able to use their annual leave. Data presented at the "Early Childhood Teacher Labor Environment and Free Education" forum on April 15 showed that while 87.5% of daycare center teachers said they could use annual leave, 42.8% of kindergarten teachers answered "not possible," and 19.0% responded "not sure." This means that about 6 out of 10 (61.8%) kindergarten teachers either cannot use annual leave or have not received proper guidance regarding their rights. These figures are from a reanalysis of the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education's 2023 report on "Employment Trends and Treatment Improvement Measures of Daycare and Kindergarten Teachers."

A scene from the video "Human Documentary: Real Extreme Jobs" comedian Suzi Lee uploaded to her YouTube channel on the 7th. Suzi Lee YouTube channel "Hot Issue Ji".

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At the forum, the unique structural problems specific to early childhood teachers were cited as the root cause of this reality. In particular, it was pointed out that in the case of private kindergartens, the "one class, one teacher" system is the norm, so if one teacher is absent, there is an immediate gap in classes and care. Unlike elementary, middle, and high schools or some public kindergartens, there are not enough substitute teachers or backup staff, making it difficult for teachers to take sick leave even when they are ill.

The forum also featured the testimony of a former teacher who, in 18 years of service, never took a single sick day and, in the event of contracting an infectious disease, continued working while wearing a mask due to the absence of substitutes. The tragic death of a private kindergarten teacher in Bucheon who continued working despite flu symptoms is a stark illustration of this reality.

Jaepil Lee, head of the Early Childhood Teachers Association, said, "The government should take responsibility for the substitute labor pool and associated costs, standardize the sick leave application and processing procedures, and enforce administrative action if a principal arbitrarily refuses a sick leave request." He continued, "Education authorities should regularly receive reports on sick leave usage, and conduct immediate on-site inspections for institutions that report zero cases. Institutions like the one involved in the Bucheon incident, where sick leave is claimed to be available but is actually unused for years, must not be left unchecked."

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