In this paper we examined how emotional intelligence (EI) affects emotional exhaustion (burnout) resulting from emotional labor, and how emotional exhaustion influences an individual's job performance in terms of organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Partial least squares regression analyses were conducted on data from 295 retail sales employees in South Korea. Of the 4 factors identified in the EI model developed by Schutte et al. (1998) we found that 3 (appraisals of emotions, optimism, and social skills) were negatively associated with emotional exhaustion but the fourth factor of utilization of emotion showed no significant links with emotional exhaustion. Emotional exhaustion was found to be negatively related to job performance in terms of organizational commitment and job satisfaction and the mediating effect of emotional exhaustion was confirmed in the relationship between job performance and appraisals of emotions, optimism, and social skills as factors in emotional intelligence.