20+ Jobs That Only Exist In Asia

Granny Police...

Image Source: Nottingham Post

Unfortunately, the granny police are not a group of badass old ladies taking down the worst of Chinese criminals. It is instead a job that is to ensure that their neighborhoods stay on the right side of the line morally and culturally. They make sure people adhere to important cultural norms such as respecting their elders.

Professional Homeless Man!

Image Source: Reddit

This is one man called Kotani Makoto who, after failing as a comedian and being down and out on the streets, to make money started renting himself out to strangers for a day or two and then would sleep on their sofa. Due to his charisma, he now has fans, and followers that will pay extraordinary amounts just to have him live with them.

Genitalia Censorer

Image Source: New York Post

In Japan, instead of the editors of the programs blurring out any naughty bits, they instead hire someone to do it all! The applicants must be diligent and disciplined and they could earn the equivalent of a whopping $6 an hour! Who could resist that dream of a career... maybe not.

Professional Queuers!

Image Source: Reddit

We've all been there, the wait for a restaurant, the line at the bank, or the queue at an entertainment park is unbearable! Well, people in China will pay professional queuers to wait in line for them! Not only this but some restaurants will even pay people to queue at their place to make people start talking about it or think it's more popular than it is!

Internet Army!

Image Source: ramblings of an ol'infantryman

Everyone knows that keyboard warrior that is able to spend more time on Facebook than most people spend at work... Well, maybe that should be your work! In China, the government pays people to go online and comment, share, and like posts of particular political views and comment negatively on others as a propaganda technique... not sure that one quite sits well with me.

Train Pushers...

Image Source: Reddit

You may have seen some viral videos of this one, but sometimes known as "sardine packers" these people's jobs are literally to shove people onto trains so that they can fit ridiculous amounts of people onto the trains, and so that the trains are punctual - something that Japan pride themselves on!

Fake Executives

Image Source: Reddit

Many Chinese brands are wanting to make their workforces diverse and so they will hire older people, usually Caucasian men, to literally walk around, wear suits, look professional, and attend meetings but not actually do or say anything. Very bizarre, but it seems to work for them!

Fish Cosmetic Surgeon...

Image Source: Reddit

This is definitely one of the more weird ones! People will hire cosmetic surgeons for their fish! Mostly performing surgeries such as eye lifts to make the fish look more attractive, however, the surgeons also sometimes perform actual medical procedures on the fish too.

Chicken Sexer...

Image Source: Daily Mail

OK, so this one isn't only in Asia but it originated in Japan and is known for being best done in Japan. Due to male and female chickens having very different needs, (their diet is one of the main ones) this job is very important and can pay a lot. It is crucial as well as most of the male chickens end up getting killed, and the female ones produce eggs.

Handsome Weeping Boy...

Image Source: BBC

No, this isn't the poorly translated title for the newest Asian Netflix series, but actually is a job title! This role is where an attractive man comes and wipes away the tears of someone who is crying. They make sure to say that the role is definitely not sexual in any way, but is very intimate I can imagine!

Banishment Room Workers!

Image Source: PBS

This role is a job that someone gets when their company wants to fire them but can't afford to pay severance, so the bosses will put the employee in a room on their own and give the worker mind-numbing tasks such as reading the newspaper until the employee quits! It's one way of doing it I guess!

Professional Cuddlers!

Image Source: Reddit

One of the more wholesome jobs... This one is as it comes on the tin! The person spends all day in bed, spooning, cuddling, lending a sympathetic ear, and the occasional back rub! Sounds great right? Only this is, you do all that with complete strangers... Still, I think if you can get over that it's pretty wholesome.

Fake Mourners!

Image Source: Reddit

This job is again pretty much as it's labeled! The fake mourners will go to funerals of people that they did not know and cry, be sad, and mourn the dead. The reason for this is so that the people attending the funeral will believe that the dead person was well respected and loved by many!

Homewreckers...

Image Source: TV Tropes

This one is common all over the world, however, it actually is a profession in some parts of Asia! In America, known as a gold digger, homewreckers will literally find older, rich men (often that are married, hence the name) and will go on dates, spend time with and get them to pay for their lifestyle!

Professional Apologiser!

Image Source: Reddit

One company in Japan charges an absolute fortune for anyone that apologizing doesn't come so naturally to send an apology! The options are a written apology (email or letter) or phone call apology or for an extra cost (more than double) the professional apologizer will do a face-to-face apology on behalf of the... um... for want of a better word, coward?

Vinegar Sommelier

Image Source: Reddit

There is one man in Japan who is widely known as the king of all things vinegar! Weird flex. But the qualifications are not easy, this man's family has been making vinegar for over 130 years, and so he's kind of been born into it. I'm not particularly sure what the day-to-day specifics are, but if you need a hand with your vinegar you now know where to go!

Sober Drivers

Image Source: Reddit

Yes, you are right, all drivers should be sober. No, you are wrong this is not just an Uber driver or a taxi. This is when someone will be paid to go on a full night out with a group of people and not drink, they will go everywhere the group goes and do everything the group does sober, just so that they can be driven everywhere they go and home again!

Fake Partners...

Image Source: The Washington Post

Chinese culture is built around strong family ties, so, it is strange for a young man or woman to attend a family festival or any festival really without a partner. So of course the logical solution is to pay someone to be your significant other in the hopes it will boost the respect that others have for you!

Scalpers...

Image Source: CNN

This one divides opinion... Many people say that scalpers cheat people out of their money, and others are grateful for the service they provide. Whatever your opinion is, the art of buying tickets and selling them for more is a big money-making opportunity in Asia and is not illegal like it is in other countries!

Medical Sex Worker!

Image Source: Reddit

This one is a bit out of my comfort zone, but I'll let you decide for yourself! These workers go into hospitals and help people that are maybe paralyzed, have cerebral palsy or similar cases, and well... pleasure them! I'm not sure if it would be allowed or how it would be viewed here, but that's not the point!

Buying Agents

Image Source: Reddit

In China, the tax on items that have been imported into the country is so high that what many people do is smuggle things into the country without declaring them, then sell them for cheaper than the usual price. This however means they get a higher profit because they don't have to pay the crazy tax.

Fake Wedding Guests...

Image Source: Reddit

One cause of anxiety is the possibility of marrying someone with no friends. So what seems to be a way of income is paying people to be guests at your wedding! Many of the services provided an offer that for an extra few bucks, they'll dance, and if you really pay up they will give a speech!

Poop Collectors...

Image Source: The Mercury News

One of China's massive exports is fertilizer, made from human feces! So, naturally, one of the oldest jobs in the country is getting into the thick of it and collecting human waste in the various forms it comes in! This is not a pleasant job but actually a very important one!

Love Detectives!

Image Source: Reddit

Many very rich plutocrats get the issue of too many people finding them very charming because of their wealth! So the answer to this is hiring a love detective, who is entrusted with the task of finding out whether the suitor in question is really in love or just interested in the money!

Snake Charmer

Image Source: Reddit

This really is a job! Not quite as fanciful as in the movies and I think that flutes are used very rarely to hypnotize the slithering snakes! Most of this role is actually just catching snakes and educating people about popular superstitions and myths about snakes. It is said that the job originated as the snake charmers in films.

Vending Machine Placement Scouts...

Image Source: Reddit

As the population of Japan increases, space becomes very precious and so finding a place for a vending machine becomes a real struggle! There is an advert that advertises that if you find a suitable place for a vending machine in Japan you can earn $185! Time to maybe find a new side hustle or hobby?

Skeleton Preserver

Image Source: Reddit

The official title for this one is skeleton preserver, which actually turns out to be... skeleton duster, as this is the only responsibility for someone that would want to take this position. I'm not sure how much this role is like "Night at the Museum", but I'd like to hope very similar, and this is all a massive cover-up... but I think I'm hopeful!

Human Punching Bag...

Image Source: Vox

We all know that feeling when you are completely filled with rage and just need to hit something for some catharsis right? Well, some people in China have cashed in on that and charge very high rates to be whacked by some angry clients! All you need to be able to do is take a few blows!

Portable Shop Owner

Image Source: Reddit

Can't afford rent? Got terrible neighbors? Not getting much footfall? Well just put your shop on wheels... obviously! This is a very common thing to see in Asia, people and vendors selling things from a tricycle, trailer, or anything else that can move and hold stock!

Medical Troublemakers

Image Source: Reddit

These people are often hired when the hospital or a doctor doesn't make a patient better, or the patient dies. Often the patient's family will hire people to protest against the doctor or hospital. Their aim is, well, trying to stop the doctor do their job. Doesn't make sense to you? Well me neither!