Weekly Pay in Korea: The ₩401,200 vs ₩481,440 Math Nobody Explains

A part-time worker at a cafe asked me last month why her paycheck said ₩481,440 when her hourly wage times hours worked came out to ₩401,200. Eighty thousand won difference. She thought maybe there was a mistake — or worse, that she was getting overpaid and would have to give it back. Neither. That extra ₩80,240 is called 주휴수당 (weekly holiday allowance), and most Korean workers don't know they're entitled to it.

Korean labor law has layered pay structure that makes weekly pay math more complex than hourly rate times hours. Overtime premium, night shift premium, and weekly holiday pay can add 20-50% to your base calculation. Here's how it all works at the 2026 minimum wage of ₩10,030/hour.

Weekly Pay Formula: The Basics

Your base weekly pay is straightforward: Hourly Wage × Daily Hours × Work Days per Week. For example, at the 2026 minimum wage of ₩10,030 working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, your base weekly pay is ₩10,030 × 8 × 5 = ₩401,200.

But that's just the starting point. Korean labor law mandates additional pay components that most workers are entitled to receive.

Weekly Holiday Allowance (주휴수당)

Under Article 55 of the Labor Standards Act, workers who complete all scheduled work days in a week and work at least 15 hours per week are entitled to a paid weekly holiday. The formula is:

• Weekly Holiday Pay = Hourly Wage × (Weekly Hours ÷ 40) × 8 hours
• For 40+ hours/week: Hourly Wage × 8 hours (capped)
• Example: ₩10,030/hr × 40 hrs/week → ₩10,030 × 8 = ₩80,240 weekly holiday pay
• Example: ₩10,030/hr × 20 hrs/week → ₩10,030 × (20÷40) × 8 = ₩40,120 weekly holiday pay

Overtime Pay (연장근로수당)

Work exceeding 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week qualifies as overtime under Korean labor law. Overtime is compensated at 1.5 times the regular hourly wage. For example, if you earn ₩10,030/hr and work 3 hours of overtime in a week, your overtime pay is ₩10,030 × 1.5 × 3 = ₩45,135.

Important: The maximum legal overtime is 12 hours per week (for workplaces with 5+ employees), bringing the maximum total to 52 hours per week.

Night Shift Pay (야간근로수당)

Work performed between 22:00 and 06:00 earns an additional 50% premium, making the effective rate 1.5 times the base wage. If night work is also overtime, the rates stack — you'd receive 2.0 times the base wage (base + 50% overtime + 50% night).

• Regular night work: Base wage × 1.5
• Overtime + night work: Base wage × 2.0
• Example: ₩10,030/hr × 2 night hours = ₩10,030 × 0.5 × 2 = ₩10,030 additional night pay

Complete Calculation Example

Let's calculate the total weekly pay for a worker earning ₩10,030/hr, working 8 hours/day, 5 days/week, with 3 hours overtime and 2 hours night shift:

• Base pay: ₩10,030 × 8 × 5 = ₩401,200
• Weekly holiday: ₩10,030 × 8 = ₩80,240
• Overtime (3 hrs): ₩10,030 × 1.5 × 3 = ₩45,135
• Night shift (2 hrs): ₩10,030 × 0.5 × 2 = ₩10,030
• Total weekly pay: ₩536,605
• Monthly estimate (×4.345): ₩2,331,549

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Forgetting weekly holiday allowance: Many part-time workers don't realize they qualify if they work 15+ hours/week.
• Confusing overtime thresholds: Overtime starts after 8 hours/day OR 40 hours/week, whichever comes first.
• Not claiming night shift pay: Any work between 22:00-06:00 qualifies, even if it's within regular hours.
• Accepting wages below minimum: The 2026 minimum wage of ₩10,030/hr is legally binding. Including weekly holiday pay, the effective minimum is higher.