Thunderstruck Poor vs King Workers: How AI Distributes Wealth in South Korea
How Close Are You to the Chip? You think hard work leads to success? In the AI era, your income might not depend on your ability—it depends on how close you are to the chip production line. King Workers vs. Thunderstruck Poor In 2026 South Korea, on one side are the “kingsanjik” (king workers)—frontline semiconductor technical workers getting average bonuses of 600 million to 700 million won (~$270,000 to $320,000). Blue-collar workers in clean suits are more popular in the dating market than suited white-collar workers, and T-shirts with the SK Hynix logo are hot items at online auctions. ...