Suicide In South Korea - Project 1

            Among the developed nations, South Korea seems to be struggling with suicide the most. With a suicide rate of 26 per 100,000 individuals in 2021 alone (Statistics Korea), there is no doubt about the graveness of the issue. There are many reasons why Koreans, ranging from adolescence to the elderly, commit suicide. The causes can be attributed to factors such as culture, discrimination towards the elderly, family problems, hyper-competitiveness, mental illnesses, and socioeconomic status. Some causes, like culture and hyper-competitiveness, are more prevalent in the causes of suicide than others since they’re a greater cause of depression (Philips) (Koo) (Yoon). But with the encouragement of getting treatments and willing involvement in cultural change, suicides throughout South Korea can be minimized and prevented.

            The Korean culture undoubtedly plays a serious role in why their society is so unhappy. Firstly, there is the academic and competition-filled aspect of the culture. From the moment students enter primary school, it becomes an academic battlefield. From their parents, they are expected to get good grades and have exceptional academic achievements. Students are expected to sacrifice up to 16 hours of their day to study to get ahead of their peers and then get into the top and most prestigious universities (Internations). Getting accepted into top universities is seen as a priority because “it is seen as the best means for obtaining a secure job with high wages in a competitive market, improving social status, and even helping with marriage prospects” (Jarvis, et al. 1.2). All this pressure does more harm than good, though. While students drain and exhaust themselves studying and preparing, it eats away at their mental health. The negative effects of this unbelievable pressure can be seen in Yonhap’s article, thought about suicide over academic pressure: poll:  

The grim finding came in the National Youth Policy Institute's survey of 9,060 elementary, middle and high school students conducted from June-August last year. According to the results, 33.8 percent of the students polled said they had considered committing suicide over the previous year. The biggest reason was the pressure they felt over academic achievement, with 37.2 percent of those who experienced the impulse to commit suicide giving it as the reason. Anxiety about their future career was cited as the second biggest reason at 21.9 percent, followed by family conflict at 17.9 percent. (Yonhap)

The numbers are already alarming, but it doesn’t stop there. “Research data showed that 9 out of 10 Korean adults feel stress every day, and 4 out of 10 people felt ‘very stressed’ or ‘extremely stressed’ on a daily basis.” (Korea Bizwire). This goes to show how big of an impact Korea’s academic pressure and competitiveness have on both adolescents’ and adults’ mental health respectively.

            In response to the daily stresses of life in Korea, different ways of relieving stress have been created. One way to relieve stress is known as “hitting mung” or zoning out while surrounded by nature, whether artificial or authentic (Kim). Certain places offer this experience in exchange for money, but many can also do it for free if they own a device that can display images of nature. Other ways of stress relief come in the “form of cafes, mini theaters, video screens, and designated public spaces designed to cultivate this relaxation vibe” (Kim). Unsurprisingly, these do require a cheap fee, but for most stressed adults in South Korea, they are certainly worth the price.

While adults may have the luxury of time and could easily make time to relax, this is certainly not the case for students. “Students spend much of their time, often between 12 to 16 hours per day, at school or at a special after-school academy called a hagwon” (Internations). Because students would struggle to find the time to go to any other place during the school day, they require some other solution; stress-relief zones. Stress-relief zones are exactly what their name implies. “The zones seem to be immediately effective. The Korea Academy of Clinical Art Therapy conducted brain wave measurement on 20 Seoul Youngsang High School students who test used the zone, and their mental stress level declined by 27.5 percent and depression level, by 27.3 percent” (Eun-ji). These innovations aren’t meant to solve all mental health problems, nor are they permanent solutions, but they are certainly great steps toward building a less stress-filled life for both students and adults alike. More innovations like these would certainly help with the country’s mental health crisis.

            Although the country’s mental health problems might be obvious, it’s hard to get help in a country that deems mental illness as a sign of weakness. Not to mention that discussing emotional problems is considered taboo in this country (Nagar). This is due to a large part of the Korean culture emphasizing “diligence, stoicism and modesty. Individual concerns are secondary. Preserving dignity, or ‘face,’ especially for the family, is paramount” (McDonald). As a result of these beliefs, individuals that might struggle with mental illnesses such as depression might overlook their condition and view it as something they must deal with alone. “According to the report by the Health and Welfare Ministry, almost 90 percent of suicide victims had diagnosable psychiatric illnesses, such as depression, but only 15 percent of them had received medical treatment regularly before taking their own lives” (KH디지털2). If individuals deliberately try to avoid getting treatment, then they are more prone to becoming suicide victims (NAMICa). Thankfully though, as time passes, the culture seems to be more tolerant of individuals seeking mental help. Dr. Noh Gyu-shik, a psychiatrist, was asked about the accessibility of mental health services from a cultural aspect and he responded with:

Culturally, there is more prejudice against seeing a psychiatrist in our country compared to the West. The perception [that those going to psychiatrist] have a “weak will,” “weak heart” or are “completely insane” still exists. But that perception is growing weaker. I can say with confidence that young people come to see me without fear or prejudice (Chu).

He then continues to explain that “even though the social barrier needs to get lower still, progress is being made.” And to progress further, Koreans should embrace this change instead of trying to fight it. If their view of mental health could become more open, then more victims of mental health problems would get the help they need.

            The country of Korea certainly struggles with stress, mental health issues, and suicide. Luckily, methods of dealing with these problems have been created, and the culture is gradually starting to open to the idea of mental health issues and getting treatments. This process will be undoubtedly slow as the culture will most definitely not change overnight, so Koreans should encourage and get involved in this new cultural shift to expedite the process. This change will most definitely help out with the generations to come and hopefully change the country for the better.

 

 

Works Cited

Chu, Marian. “Why Is Mental Health Treatment Sluggish in Korea?” KBR, 12 Jan. 2018,

Eun-ji, Bahk. “Stress Relief: Schools Build Special Zone to Reduce Student Anxiety.” Koreatimes, The Korea Times, 17 Mar. 2019

InterNations. “International Schools and the Education System in South Korea.” InterNations, 10 Feb. 2023

Jarvis, Jonathan A., et al. “Too Much of a Good Thing: Social Capital and Academic Stress in South Korea.” MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 23 Oct. 2020

Kim, Jean. “Hitting Mung: Could This South Korean Wellness Fad Help You?.” Psycom, 14 Apr. 2022

KH디지털2. “Avoiding Psychiatric Treatment Linked to Korea's High Suicide Rate.” The Korea Herald, The Korea Herald, 27 Jan. 2016

Koo, Soo Kyung. “Depression Status in Korea.” Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2018

Korea Bizwire. “Nearly Half of All Korean Adults Suffer from Severe Stress.” The Korea Bizwire, 2 Feb. 2016

McDonald, Mark. “Stressed and Depressed, Koreans Avoid Therapy.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 6 July 2011

Nagar, Sarosh. “The Struggle of Mental Health Care Delivery in South Korea and Singapore.” Harvard International Review, Harvard International Review, 11 Mar. 2022

NAMICa. “About Mental Illness.” NAMI California, 26 July 2021,

Phillips, Matt. “Korea Is the World's Top Producer of Unhappy School Children.” Quartz, Quartz, 3 Dec. 2013

Statistics Korea. “Birth and Death: Population and Household: Press Releases.” Statistics Korea, 2022

Yonhap. “Nearly 34% of S. Korean Adolescents Have Thought about Suicide over Academic Pressure: Poll.” The Korea Herald, The Korea Herald, 24 July 2019

Yoon, L. “South Korea: Reasons for Suicide 2020.” Statista, 17 Oct. 2022