World · East Asia & Pacific · 3 hrs ago
Samsung bonuses fuel debate over how couples should divide housework
A Samsung Electronics employee in South Korea says he expects to earn about 800 million won this year, compared with 40 million won for his wife.
His expected bonus has fuelled a debate over housework after he asked online whether couples with a large income gap should still split chores equally.
The company’s semiconductor business is benefiting from strong demand for memory chips used in artificial intelligence, and a new bonus plan has no payout cap.
The employee’s claimed pay is not confirmed, and the exact bonus amounts remain estimates that depend on company results and later approval.
Many online commenters argued that income alone should not decide who does housework, while others backed a greater share for the higher earner or suggested hiring help.
South Korean surveys show that more people support equal sharing, but only about one in four husbands say they share chores equally.
Women in working couples still do more combined work and care, although the gap in daily housework and care time has narrowed.
The 2026 government survey on family life is due to be released later this year.
A Samsung Electronics employee’s reported salary of about 800 million won, including bonuses, has sparked debate over whether couples should divide housework equally when their incomes differ sharply.
The employee said his wife earns 40 million won a year and asked whether they should split housework equally because they have similar working hours and both are busy.
Samsung’s semiconductor bonuses are expected to reach hundreds of millions of won for some employees, but the estimates cited are not confirmed payouts.
Online reactions differed, with some rejecting income as a basis for dividing housework and others suggesting that the higher earner take on less or hire help.
South Korean survey data show that support for equal housework has risen, while reported equal sharing remains far less common.
- Who
- A Samsung Electronics employee and his wife. The employee said he earns about 800 million won a year including bonuses, while his wife earns 40 million won.
- What
- The employee’s question about whether couples with a large income gap should split housework equally prompted online debate.
- When
- The post appeared on October 29, according to the article.
- Where
- The discussion began on Blind, an anonymous online community for workers.
- Why
- The employee said they have similar working hours and are both busy, while his work demands and performance reviews require more overtime.
People who reject income-based housework sharing
People who support or suggest adjusting the division
Basis for sharing
People who reject income-based housework sharing
Some commenters opposed using the income gap to determine housework and said earning more should not exempt a spouse from chores.
People who support or suggest adjusting the division
Others said a spouse who earns much more could take on less housework, or that the couple could hire domestic help.
A post asking whether couples should split housework equally despite a 20-fold salary difference appeared on Blind.
The employee added that his workload had increased and that he was approaching a promotion while facing performance reviews influenced by overtime.
Samsung’s special performance bonuses are scheduled to be paid after procedures including the regular shareholders’ meeting.
- Employee’s reported annual pay
- About 800 million won, including bonuses
- Wife’s reported annual pay
- 40 million won
- Special bonus funding
- 10.5% of the Device Solutions division’s business performance
- First-quarter operating profit
- 57.2 trillion won, up 756% from a year earlier
- 2024 support for equal housework
- 68.9% of respondents
- 2024 reported equal sharing
- 24.4% of husbands and 23.3% of wives
What people are saying
퇴근 시간은 비슷하고 둘 다 바쁘다
연봉 차이와 별개로 부부의 업무 강도는 비슷할 수 있다
연봉만으로 가사를 나누면 배우자에게 상처가 될 수 있다