“Watch out in March, May, and July” Ryu Yi-seo reveals flight attendant salary secrets

Ryu Yi-seo, a former Asiana Airlines flight attendant, sparked laughter by offering unexpected dating advice while explaining the salary structure for airline crew members. She drew significant interest by revealing the unique complexities of flight attendant pay and the past organizational culture of airlines.

On the 10th, a video was released on Ryu Yi-seo's YouTube channel 'My Love Ryu Yi-seo,' featuring Seong Hae-eun, a former Korean Air flight attendant. The two shared stories regarding their experiences as flight attendants, company culture, and salaries.

The highlight of the video was a conversation regarding the 'criteria for salary increases.' Ryu explained that it is difficult to calculate a flight attendant's salary based solely on years of service or rank.

She stated that while basic pay increases slightly according to rank and seniority, individual flight hours vary, and per diems differ depending on the overseas layover location. She explained that even within the same rank, actual take-home pay can vary due to variables such as flight schedules, layover countries, and exchange rates.

In particular, she noted that income was relatively low during rookie years because there were almost no bonuses. Recalling her monthly income during her internship period, Ryu mentioned it was "around 200."

However, she said the situation changes once regular duties begin and various bonuses are added. With bonuses paid during holidays or specific periods, combined with allowances for flight hours and overseas stays, monthly income fluctuations can be significant.

Ryu explained the specific timing of receiving bonuses, stating, "There are only about 3 months when there are almost no bonuses." She added, "The months where you don't receive them are around 3, 5, 7, or something like that."

Hearing this, Jun Jin reacted, "The 3, 5, and 7 months wouldn't feel very good." Laughter erupted as the numbers, rather than just explaining the salary structure, sounded like a mysterious romantic code.

Ryu went a step further, joking, "You have to be careful. Boyfriends have to be careful," creating a humorous moment surrounding the flight attendants' "March, May, and July."

Of course, this was not a serious revelation regarding the actual dating lives of flight attendants, but rather an impromptu joke exchanged with Jun Jin regarding the months without bonuses. It was a scene created by combining humor based on the unique nature of the profession with salary discussions.

In this video, stories about the hierarchical culture that once existed in airline organizations were also discussed. Seong shared that she heard stories where juniors had to give wake-up calls to seniors or even wash their seniors' stockings. Ryu also recalled a culture where juniors would check the wake-up time of seniors while overseas and wake them up via phone.

Ryu explained that because time zones differed in each location, juniors would call seniors to check if they were awake. However, she stated that as time passed, managers intervened by saying, "Let's not do wake-up calls," and such practices gradually disappeared.

Seong also mentioned the culture of titles. She explained that even if a senior appeared younger, if they were senior in rank, she had to call them 'Unnie' (older sister), and for male flight attendants, she used the title 'Sunbaenim' (senior) instead of 'Oppa' (older brother).

These testimonies show organizational characteristics that are difficult to explain simply by perceiving flight attendants as a service profession. Due to the nature of the job, which requires performing both safety and service duties in the limited space of an aircraft, a certain level of discipline is required, but in the past, this manifested as a unique organizational culture combined with hierarchy between seniors and juniors.

Based on her long-term experience at Asiana Airlines, Ryu conveyed the atmosphere of the field at that time, while Seong added her experience from Korean Air, naturally comparing the differences and similarities between the airlines. This is why their conversation holds interest beyond simple 'flight attendant stories.'

After marrying singer Jun Jin, Ryu has been communicating with the public through broadcasts and SNS. Seong also expanded her field of activity as an influencer after becoming known through her appearance on 'Transit Love 2.' Although they entered broadcasting through different paths, the meeting itself was perceived as an unusual combination as both have actual flight attendant careers.

Flight attendants are often seen as a profession with a significant gap between their public image and actual working environment. While the neat uniforms and international travel appear glamorous, the reality involves long flight hours, jet lag, irregular schedules, and the dual responsibility of customer service and safety.

Ryu's discussion of salaries serves as an example of this reality. Rather than a simple question of "how much do they earn," she detailed a complex structure involving base pay, seniority, flight hours, per diems, exchange rates, and various bonuses, providing a more concrete look at the profession.

Ultimately, Ryu's joke about "watching out in March, May, and July" began as a serious explanation of salary structures and concluded as a playful moment of banter with her husband, Jun Jin.