A 4 a.m. start, a flood of parent complaints, and an endless day of meal supervision, lessons, and childcare. This is "A Day in the Life of a Kindergarten Teacher," performed by comedian Lee Su-ji. The "Human Documentary: Truly Extreme Job - Kindergarten Teacher" episode, uploaded to the YouTube channel "Hot Issue G," surpassed 5 million views within 10 days of its release. Although the content was in a satirical format, the comment section was filled with responses such as "Ban Kids Note," "Ban contact via teachers' personal phones," "Unreasonable parents should have their children removed," and "This isn't comedy, it's a documentary."
According to the civic group World Without Worries About Private Education on Tuesday, only 38.3% of kindergarten teachers are able to use their annual and monthly leave. The data, released at the "Labor Environment of Early Childhood Teachers and Free Education" forum held on the 15th, showed that 42.8% answered they "cannot use" leave, while 19.0% said they "are not sure." Six out of 10 teachers (61.8%) either cannot take leave or have not even been informed whether they can.
Observers say the scenes in Lee Su-ji's video differ little from the actual duties of real teachers. In a structure where a single teacher simultaneously handles lessons, childcare, meals, and administrative tasks, they must also respond to parent complaints. The overlap between caring for children and handling complaints also leads to significant emotional exhaustion, critics point out.
The "one class, one teacher" system has been identified as the core problem. If a single teacher is absent, both lessons and childcare for that class come to a halt, making it virtually impossible to use sick leave. Unlike elementary, middle, and high schools, there are no separately arranged substitute teachers or reserve personnel, so being absent itself becomes a burden. A recent case in which a private kindergarten teacher in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, died after going to work despite flu symptoms illustrates these working conditions.
Sick leave and vacation are legally guaranteed, but in practice, the standards and procedures for using them are often not properly communicated. In many cases, teachers must personally find a substitute to take leave, or the approval depends on the principal's discretion. At the "Labor Environment of Early Childhood Teachers and Free Education" forum jointly hosted by World Without Worries About Private Education and the National Assembly on the 15th, participants also pointed out that the sick leave and vacation systems are not functioning properly. Attendees said, "The rights exist, but they are difficult to actually exercise."
The financial structure also has an impact. As free education funding is operated through a voucher system, personnel costs and operating expenses are bundled together, resulting in teacher wages not being adequately reflected, analysts say. This is the backdrop to the ongoing staff shortages and excessive workloads.
World Without Worries About Private Education said, "Along with institutional improvements to ensure sick leave and vacation can actually be used, we need to build a permanent substitute teacher system and strengthen the state's responsibility for teacher wages."
