“Director! I will use only 2 days of annual leave”… The secret to enjoying the ‘9-day Daemul holiday’ revealed in January

Images are unrelated to the text. [사진 출처 = 연합 뉴스]

As the new year approaches, everyone quickly scans the yearly calendar, seeking out one specific detail. The prized “Golden Holiday” – a substantial stretch of vacation time – takes center stage.

Specifically, office personnel face an imminent decision: how to best utilize the extended 2022 holiday period, the Year of the Black Tiger. A significant break awaits at the month’s conclusion.

Per the 2022 calendar overview released by the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning on the 1st, the count of substitute holidays has risen compared to last year. The total holiday duration has expanded from seven days (inclusive of Lunar New Year, Chuseok, and Children’s Day breaks) to eleven days, due to the inclusion of four additional national holidays: Samiljeol, Liberation Day, National Foundation Day, and Hangeul Day.

The most anticipated extended break for salaried employees is the five-day Lunar New Year recess, spanning from Saturday, February 29th to Wednesday, February 2nd. Furthermore, by using two annual leave days – February 3rd (Thursday) and 4th (Friday) – a nine-day Golden Holiday is achievable.

This year, Chuseok, the second-longest break after Lunar New Year, encompasses four days, including substitute holidays. Similarly, Memorial Day (June 6th), Liberation Day (August 15th), National Foundation Day (October 3rd), and Hangeul Day (October 9th) each offer three-day breaks, including weekend days.

The total number of official holidays, or “Red Days,” amounts to 71 days, factoring in 52 Sundays, national holidays, and New Year’s Day. Buddha’s Birthday (May 8th), the last day of Chuseok (September 11th), Hangeul Day (October 9th), and Christmas Day (December 25th) coincide with Sundays, resulting in a total of 67 official holidays, identical to this year’s figure.

This figure incorporates public holidays designated for the March 9th presidential election and the June 1st nationwide local elections. However, adding the Chuseok substitute holiday (September 12th) and the Hangeul Day substitute (October 10th) brings the overall holiday count for organizations operating on a five-day work week system to 118 days – two days more than the previous year. New Year’s Day, Buddha’s Birthday, and Christmas, all falling on weekends, are not eligible for substitute holidays.

[김정은 매경닷컴 기자]

The 2022 Golden Holiday: A Year of the Black Tiger’s Strategic Vacation

The New Year always brings excitement, but for many office workers, the real thrill lies in decoding the year’s calendar, specifically hunting for that elusive prize: the Golden Holiday. And 2022, the Year of the Black Tiger, is no exception. This year, the hunt is especially crucial as a significant vacation period looms at the end of the month (the article cuts off here, but the gist is clear).

This snippet from what appears to be a Korean news article (indicated by the image source and reference to the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning) highlights a phenomenon common to many cultures: the strategic planning around public holidays. The article rightfully points out the importance of this planning for office workers, as maximizing holiday time is a key component of work-life balance, particularly in cultures with potentially demanding work environments.

The “Golden Holiday” isn’t just about leisure; it’s a logistical puzzle. It requires careful consideration of how to combine official holidays with vacation days to create the most extended break possible. This involves a fine-tuned balancing act. Too little planning, and you might miss an opportunity for a longer break. Too much aggressive scheduling could risk burnout before the holidays even arrive.

The article’s focus on the Ministry’s release of the 2022 calendar underlines the public interest in this information. The government’s role in disseminating this calendar suggests a recognition of its social impact. The calendar isn’t just a list of dates; it’s a roadmap for leisure, family time, and a much-needed break from the pressures of daily life. In a society where work often dominates, the strategic utilization of public holidays becomes a significant societal marker.

Unfortunately, the article excerpt abruptly ends before revealing the specifics of the 2022 Golden Holiday. However, the overall tone suggests a significant period of vacation time is within reach, setting the stage for a flurry of vacation planning across offices in Korea. The coming days and weeks will undoubtedly see intense discussions around optimal holiday strategies, further highlighting the cultural significance of this “Golden Holiday” hunt. We’ll be sure to bring you an update as soon as more details are revealed.