Pandemic woes bring US-style gig economy to South Korea

Kim Chan-su, also known as Black Clown, picks up an order at a restaurant in Incheon, South Korea. When not juggling on stage, he delivers meals and drinks from fried chicken to coffee in his Hyundai Tucson SUV, starting at noon and often finishing past midnight. — Bloomberg

As the Covid-19 pandemic hit Seoul with full force last winter, mime and circus artist Kim Chan-su started his “two-job” life – as a courier and a circus clown. When not juggling on stage, he delivers meals and drinks from fried chicken to coffee in his Hyundai Tucson SUV, starting at noon and often finishing past midnight.

Even with two jobs, the 24-year veteran of circus shows still earns “a lot less” than what he used to make from a single occupation before the pandemic. In a peak month, he earned 4.5mil won (RM16,707) from delivery. Even that was halved in October as competition grew in the delivery business while circus shows wasn’t fully back.