Challenges faced by Korean artists: Job insecurity, economic constraints, calling, and career adaptability

Abstract

This study applied the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT) to Korean artists and explored whether job insecurity and economic constraints sequentially predicted decent work and how they were related to decent work through the mediators of living a calling and career adaptability. A sample of 252 artists in Korea was used for structural equation modeling. According to the findings, job insecurity and economic constraints predicted decent work, whereas living a calling and career adaptability were sequentially mediated in the path of job insecurity, leading to decent work. Additionally, they revealed that job insecurity and economic constraints significantly impacted decent work and living a calling and career adaptability can be considered protective factors in the career development process of Korean artists. Considering that COVID-19 has made it more difficult for artists to develop their careers, conducting research that applies the PWT to artists can have practical implications at the counseling psychology and policy levels.