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Following landmark profit-sharing at memory makers Samsung and SK Hynix, newly minted employees with hundreds of thousands of dollars in bonuses are now the most sought-after partners on the Korean dating scene, according to MIT Technology Review.
With memory in short supply and prices reflecting the supply/demand mismatch, Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix have made more money in the past couple of years than they have in the entire history of the companies. Naturally, employees wanted to see their salaries and bonuses reflect that, and the union-backed workers in Korea succeeded in those efforts. Samsung workers earned close to half a million dollars in bonuses this year, while SK Hynix employees earned the same and are on for a $900,000 bonus in 2027.
Needless to say, this has improved the dating prospects of some of these workers. So much so, in fact, that this new, niche middle-class collective has become some of the hottest bachelors and bachelorettes in the country.
MIT cites some memory workers going on many more blind dates after the bonus situation was resolved. It also spoke to matchmakers, who are inundated with requests to match with chip workers. In some cases, people who previously matched with Samsung and SK Hynix employees who didn't enjoy the date have asked to be reconnected to them now that the news of their fortunes has become widespread.
Although this might sound cynical, South Korea's welfare safety nets aren't extensive, and with high housing and childcare costs, stable employment and lavish bonuses are seen as extremely attractive traits in a potential partner.
It also goes the other way. While memory workers are seen as more attractive dating prospects, they now feel more attractive and valuable as partners, making them keener to pursue dating. In one cited example, MIT interviewed a 35-year-old chip worker who had previously been signed up to dating services by his mother, who was concerned he hadn't met anyone. Now he's flooded with dating offers.
There are growing concerns about wealth disparity generated by this recent boom in memory profits, though. It's creating new business in local areas, but that further concentrates wealth around the tech hubs and fabrication facilities. The government has proposed an AI dividend that could be paid to all South Koreans to help them benefit from increased income from chip sales, but others have argued that company investments and stock trading give the wider public a chance to participate and benefit.
There's also the question of how long this bull run will last. If the AI bubble pops, if new models become vastly more efficient and the memory craze ends in a year or two, what will that do to bonuses, salaries, and indeed, Korean dating prospects?
About Our Expert
Jon Martindale is a tech journalist from the UK, with 20 years of experience covering all manner of PC components and associated gadgets. He's written for a range of publications, including ExtremeTech, Digital Trends, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, and Lifewire, among others. When not writing, he's a big board gamer and reader, with a particular habit of speed-reading through long manga sagas.Â
Jon covers the latest PC components, as well as how-to guides on everything from how to take a screenshot to how to set up your cryptocurrency wallet. He particularly enjoys the battles between the top tech giants in CPUs and GPUs, and tries his best not to take sides.
Jon's gaming PC is built around the iconic 7950X3D CPU, with a 7900XTX backing it up. That's all the power he needs to play lightweight indie and casual games, as well as more demanding sim titles like Kerbal Space Program. He uses a pair of Jabra Active 8 earbuds and a SteelSeries Arctis Pro wireless headset, and types all day on a Logitech G915 mechanical keyboard.
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