Free weekends stress out Koreans

The Wall Street Journal today has an article about Koreans dealing with the reduced workweek (five days a week) that companies are changing to -- what to do with their free time, managing more family time (good or bad depending on one's view), and spending more money on leisure activities.

Unfortunately, a subscription is needed for online access. Some excerpts, though ...

SEOUL, South Korea -- Jun In Kyung is one unhappy housewife.

Her husband's employer just started giving him two Saturdays off a month. The 36-year-old wrestling teacher's new schedule, though, means Ms. Jun has to spend more of her time cooking and doing extra housework. Plus, she grumbles, after staying out late with his buddies on Friday nights, her husband sleeps a lot on Saturdays -- cramping their two children's indoor playtime.

"Home is supposed to be women's space and I don't like it when he spends more time in my space," says Ms. Jun, also 36. "It's like an invasion."

I found the following very interesting ...

"To help ease the free-time burden, the Korea Culture & Tourism Policy Institute is making available yeoga kwallisa, or leisure counselors, 'to teach people to seize their time,' says Yoon So Young, a chief researcher at the institute. 'It is something that needs to be learned.'"

I've found my true calling -- a leisure counselor. I would so rock at that job.