This photo is not directly related to the article. [123rf]
This photo is not directly related to the article. [123rf]

A job listing seeking a babysitter to care for a 4-year-old around the clock during a three-day trip — for just 300,000 won (about $195) — has drawn widespread criticism online.

The post appeared recently on Karrot, a secondhand trading platform, and sought someone to stay at the poster's home and provide 24-hour childcare from July 28 to July 30.

The author said they were going on a trip during that period and needed someone to live in for three days to look after the child. The total pay offered was 300,000 won.

"My child is a boy," the post read. "I'd ask you to prepare and cook his meals, bathe him, put him down for naps, play with him, and also handle laundry, dishes, cleaning and tidying up."

The author added that the child was "a terrible 4-year-old who needs special attention," and asked that the caregiver watch him "responsibly and skillfully around the clock."

The post spread through online communities and drew swift backlash. Commenters said they could not understand how a parent could leave for a trip while their child stayed behind, and others noted that the child would suddenly have to spend three days with a complete stranger.

Critics also said the pay was unrealistic given the childcare and housework involved. One commenter said the rate worked out to no more than 4,200 won per hour, calling it absurdly low.

Based on the 2026 minimum hourly wage of 10,320 won, a caregiver working 24 consecutive hours a day — including overtime and night-shift premiums — would be entitled to at least 371,520 won per day, or 1,114,560 won for three days.


bbo@heraldcorp.com