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'Work for Immortals': Cloud Watcher Job at China's Lao Jun Mountain Draws 3,500 Applicants
🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

'Work for Immortals': Cloud Watcher Job at China's Lao Jun Mountain Draws 3,500 Applicants

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A unique job posting for a "cloud observer" at China's Lao Jun Mountain offered a monthly salary of $12,000 USD for observing and filming clouds.
  • The position attracted over 3,500 applicants within a week, highlighting its immense popularity.
  • The selected candidate, Li Sichen, completed his one-month contract, filming cloud seas and sharing his experiences, while the tourism site considers future hires.

A highly unusual job opening at China's Lao Jun Mountain, a renowned Taoist sacred site, has generated significant public interest. The position, advertised as a "cloud observer," offered a monthly salary of 60,000 yuan (approximately $12,000 USD) for the simple task of observing and filming cloud seas from the mountain's summit. The role, described by applicants as "work for immortals" or "heavenly part-time job," garnered over 3,500 applications within just one week.

It's a dream job. It's work for immortals. It's a job for gods.

— Applicant reactionDescribing the appeal of the 'cloud observer' position.

The selected candidate, 23-year-old Li Sichen from Henan Province, undertook the month-long role from mid-last month to mid-this month. His responsibilities included waking early to capture the sunrise and continuing to film various cloud formations and mountain scenery throughout the day. Beyond filming, Li also learned video editing and drone operation to enhance his content.

I woke up at 5 a.m. every day and started filming before sunrise. Even after sunset, I wandered the mountain from various angles to film.

— Li SichenDetailing his daily routine as a cloud observer.

Despite the seemingly idyllic nature of the job, Li admitted to experiencing significant stress when unfavorable weather prevented him from capturing the desired footage. The copyright for the cloud videos produced during his tenure belongs to the Lao Jun Mountain tourism site. However, Li also maintained a personal social media presence, sharing vlogs of his mountain life and filming process, which helped him gain over 6,000 followers.

When the weather was bad and I couldn't film the desired scenes, I felt great stress because I couldn't capture the photos I wanted.

— Li SichenExpressing the challenges faced during the job.

Upon completing his contract, Li expressed gratitude for the experience but does not yet consider himself an "influencer." He plans to seek a full-time job while continuing his social media activities. The Lao Jun Mountain tourism management indicated that while they currently employ professional videographers, they are open to hiring new "cloud observers" in the future to capture the scenery from fresh perspectives. Lao Jun Mountain, with over 2,000 years of history, is a significant Taoist pilgrimage site, with legends attributing its spiritual significance to the philosopher Lao Tzu.

The time passed very quickly during which I felt immense gratitude.

— Li SichenReflecting on his completed month-long contract.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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