Doctors and Lawyers Out of Favour as South Koreans Flock to Chip Factory Jobs
The global artificial intelligence (AI) explosion has brought a windfall for two South Korean chip giants, SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics, with both companies recording significant share price growth. Beyond the financial markets, employees at these firms have suddenly become highly sought-after, with their status now on a par with traditionally prestigious professions such as doctors and lawyers.
Career consultants report that a growing number of job seekers, including high school students, are targeting positions at Samsung and SK Hynix. Some private educational institutes have even launched courses to help applicants prepare for interviews at the chip companies. Son Dong-gyu, chief executive of matchmaking agency Bien Aller, noted that while employees of these firms were previously classified as B+ or A-grade candidates, they are now closer to A+, a tier traditionally reserved for doctors, lawyers, and other high-earning professionals or those from extremely wealthy families.
Employees at Samsung and SK Hynix are set to receive massive bonuses as the global AI boom fuels demand for their memory chip products, pushing share prices and profits to record highs. On Tuesday, SK Hynix overtook Samsung to become South Korea’s most valuable company by market capitalisation. SK Hynix recently revised its employee bonus structure, while Samsung agreed on a pay and bonus scheme with its labour union, including performance bonuses of approximately US$416,000 for workers in its chip division. By comparison, government data shows the average worker earned US$29,758 in 2024.
The rising popularity of the chip industry is also reshaping educational pathways in a country where medical and legal careers have long been the gold standard. Some students are now opting for vocational schools, as certain semiconductor factory jobs require only a high school diploma. Jung Sung-chan, a 19-year-old student who received a job offer from Samsung Electronics as a chip engineer, said many of his friends are envious. He added that even university graduates struggle to find jobs nowadays, which is one reason the factories are becoming more popular.
University professors and career advisors also sense a shift on campuses. While Samsung and SK Hynix have long been considered prestigious conglomerates, their appeal previously lagged behind that of medicine or law. Competition to enter these firms has now become extremely fierce, almost resembling the race for university admission itself, according to Park Jun-young, a former Samsung employee turned career consultant. Surging interest in a semiconductor engineering degree launched by Korea University with SK Hynix in 2021 has pushed admission scores to a record high this academic year. Koo Bon-ho, a first-year student on the course, said he feels relatively secure about his job prospects compared to his peers, amid rising youth unemployment which hit 6.1% in 2025.
Professor Lee Hyung-min of Korea University’s Semiconductor Engineering Department said the industry is finally receiving recognition commensurate with its importance to the economy, given that chips account for over 40% of South Korea’s exports. He predicted the sector’s appeal and prosperity are unlikely to fade soon, with many expecting the semiconductor boom cycle to last at least another two to three years.