"Thank You, But..." The Most Desired Parents' Day Gift Was Something Else

A survey revealed that the proportion of people who prefer 'cash' as a gift on Parents' Day is overwhelmingly high. Real usage data from simple money transfer services also showed that remittances are heavily concentrated on Parents' Day. In contrast, children place greater importance on the emotional value of 'spending time together.'

A survey revealed that the proportion of people who prefer 'cash' as a gift on Parents' Day is overwhelmingly high. Getty Images

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According to Yonhap News on May 5, Kakao Pay conducted a survey of 27,095 people via its financial journal 'Pay Attention,' and found that 89% of respondents selected cash as the most desired gift for Parents' Day. Next, general 'gifts' accounted for 5%, while 'health supplements' and 'travel' each accounted for 2%, indicating a clear preference for practical gifts.

This trend was also seen in money transfer usage patterns. According to Kakao Pay, Parents' Day was the day with the most active remittance activity in May last year, with more than 3.03 million transfers carried out in a single day. On the same day, the average amount sent through the 'remittance envelope' feature was tallied at 98,000 won. In a survey by KB Kookmin Card, the number one Parents' Day gift was also cash allowance, with the most common amount falling in the 100,000 to 200,000 won range.

Three days before Parents' Day, citizens are purchasing carnations at the Yangjae Flower Market in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

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On the other hand, what children hope for appears to be different. In a survey of 1,365 elementary school students conducted by the Elementary Teachers' Union, the number one answer to "What do you most want to do on Children's Day?" was "spend time with family, such as traveling or dining out" (44.1%). This was followed by "receiving a gift they wanted" (27.7%) and "spending time with friends" (10.1%).

When asked about "the gift you want to receive on Children's Day," "spending time with family" again ranked first at 28.2%. This was followed by digital devices (25.3%) and cash allowance or gift cards (23.1%). For "what they wish from their family," the most common answer was "spending more time together" (39.7%).

In addition, children most frequently cited "a harmonious family" (40%) as a condition for happiness, followed by "achieving their dreams" (18.7%) and "money" (11.9%). When feeling troubled, children also most often turned to family members such as 'mother' or 'father' for someone to talk to.

Sukkyoon Kang, head of the Elementary Teachers' Union, said, "What children want is not to spend all day at school from morning to evening but to spend time with their parents," adding, "There needs to be a social environment where parents and children can sufficiently build relationships."

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