Why 209 hours
In Korea, a full-time employee working 40 hours a week is also paid 8 hours of weekly paid rest, so 48 paid hours a week. Multiplied by the average 4.345 weeks in a month, that is about 209 hours. The monthly minimum wage is calculated the same way.
Three hourly figures
50M KRW salary, no dependents, 200,000 meal allowance, app formula.
| Figure | Calculation | Per hour (KRW) |
|---|---|---|
| Gross hourly | 4,166,667 ÷ 209 | about 19,900 |
| After-tax hourly | 3,532,004 ÷ 209 | about 16,900 |
| Real hourly (5 unpaid overtime hours a week) | take-home ÷ about 231 hours | about 15,300 |
Five unpaid hours a week is about 22 hours a month. Overtime in Korea must in principle be paid with at least a 50% premium on ordinary wages, so if your contract has a fixed overtime allowance, compare it with the hours you actually work.
Where the real hourly wage helps
- Comparing offers — a higher salary with longer hours can mean a lower real hourly wage. See comparing job offers.
- Side work — put the hourly value of extra work next to your after-tax hourly wage. Check first whether your visa permits side work.
- Spending — turning a 100,000 KRW purchase into work hours changes how it feels. See money sense in everyday units.
The app’s work-hour value
Find it on the Chicken tab
The Chicken tab and share card say “Every work hour earns you N chickens”: take-home after loan interest ÷ 209 hours, divided by your chicken price. Set the chicken price to 1 and the figure becomes won per hour.
Adjust for your real hours
The app always uses 209 hours. If you work longer, multiply its figure by 209 ÷ your actual monthly hours.
FAQ
What if my company has a shorter work week?
Use the monthly contractual hours in your contract or company rules instead of 209.
Is “chickens a day” per working day?
No. The app divides monthly take-home by 30 calendar days for that line, unlike the work-hour value.
Sources: Taxnet, 2027 minimum wage 10,700 KRW (Korean)
Salary to Chicken: Take-Home
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