American Author: Understand the most repressed country in the world, South Korea

Body translation

South Korea is an incredible country with a vibrant culture... but it’s also undergoing what’s possibly the worst mental health crisis in the world. So between playing video games, hosting a reader meet-up and eating some of the spiciest f*cking food of my life, I went out to discover what intense social pressures foster such high rates of anxiety and depression.

South Korea is an unbeatable country with a vibrant culture... But at the same time, it is also experiencing what may be the worst mental health crisis in the world. So in between video games, hosting readers' meetings, and eating the spiciest food I've ever eaten in my life, I went out and explored how so much social pressure was causing such high rates of anxiety and depression.

Comment translation

@pomme._.fatal

as a born and raised Korean, 'having the worst mix of Confucianism and capitalism' is the most on-point statement of Korean society

As a native of Korea, I think "Confucianism and capitalism produce the worst combination" is the most apt commentary on Korean society.

@dyii81

I'm Korean. "If you get your shit together, you don't have to suffer from depression or anxiety" - that's what my mom told me all my life, being depressed herself for decades.

I'm a Korean, and my mother said to me all my life that my mother said to me, "If you pull yourself together, you don't have to suffer from depression or anxiety," and then she herself was depressed for decades.

azyscorpion3889

Changes nothing. I've seen a successful Korean man and his friends they're all depressed. I've lived in Korea forn10 years and I'll never forget how depressed I've been throughout.

This sentence does not change anything. I know a successful Korean man who has a very depressed life with his friends. I have lived in Korea for 10 years, and I will never forget how depressed I was.

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edprestosis4099

Your mom's advice doesn't seem very helpful. But I think your country's medical health care system needs to be fully addressing mental health problems publicly not privately. It also needs to be discussed among Korean governments and medical Healthcare establishments in every news media, including internet news.

Your mother's advice doesn't seem to work. But I think it's time for your nation's health care system to openly address the mental health of its citizens in a holistic way, rather than hiding it in the shadows. It is also necessary for the South Korean government and healthcare institutions to discuss this issue in all news media, including online news.

pomeloradish5491

What about the bullying and hierarchy? Some are bullied to death in the military and schools, only because they are poor, not good looking, or even just younger. I think it is a really big and serious problem existing in Korea.

Why isn't there any mention of bullying and hierarchy? Some Koreans are bullied to death in the military and in schools simply because they are poor, ugly, or even simply because they are young. I think this is a very serious problem in Korean society.

@user-lv8vn8kq8r

In a society where play time for children is consider wasteful, im not surprise its an outlet for their congested emotions.

In a society where children are seen as a waste of time, it wouldn't surprise me that they choose bullying as an outlet for their emotions.

@ejfeg779

As a Korean, pros and cons of my country are exactly evident. It's a heaven for a consumer,

a hell for a worker/service provider/students

As a Korean, I have to say that the strengths and weaknesses of our country are very clear. It's a consumer's paradise as well as a hell for workers, service workers, and students.

@gengis01

You forget the rich. Korea has tremendous class divide between rich and poor. If you think the Rich enjoys privileges in US, wait till you go to Korea where rich do not even get pulled over by cops. The rich can literally get away with murder. Good thing the murder rate is so low. But why murder anyone when they bow and scrape and do whatever you tell them? Whenever I visit Korea, I only speak English. I refuse to bow. I act like a rude American and they treat me like a VIP. First time I visited, I spoke Korean, I bowed, I showed respect and everyone treated me like I was homeless bum begging for a handout.

You forgot to mention the rich. The gap between rich and poor in South Korea is very large. If people think that the rich are privileged in the United States, you will know what the real privilege of the rich is when you go to South Korea. The rich there won't even be stopped by the police. They can even get away with murder, but the murder rate in South Korea is low. But every ordinary Korean will grovel to the rich and obey their orders, so why do they still kill people? Whenever I visit Korea, I only speak English and refuse to bow to others. I acted like a rude American, yet they treated me like a VIP. And the first time I went to Korea, I spoke Korean, I bowed to people, I saluted everyone, and everyone thought I was a homeless person begging for alms.

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@stilldrop9540

I'm a Korean-American, born and raised in Korea until high school and immigrated to America in 1981. This video is spot-on. When I was living in Korea, I was under so much pressure to excel in school, mercilessly driven to study so very hard to go to a good university - by the time I was in high school, I felt so old, exhausted, and wanted to retire from life. It was all about studying all the time to get the best grades with no time to play or have fun. We even pressured to waste as little time as possible on sleeping at night. I was so stressed, depressed and worn out. It was brutal. We never blamed society or others with sense of entitlement that most Americans have, and we just took all responsibility on our individual selves to work hard, improve ourselves and excel. Some of my Korean friends as adults had to work so hard, couldn't go home at night, had to continue working all night and sleep at their desks, some of them died of failed health - literally working to death. There is a price in coming so far from the poor and war-torn country to the one now excelling in every field.

I am a Korean-American, I was born and raised in South Korea until I immigrated to the United States after graduating from high school in 1981. This video gets to the point. When I was living in South Korea, I was under a lot of pressure in school, and I was relentlessly forced to study very hard in order to get into a good university -- and in high school, I felt very old and tired, and I wanted to retire in this life. Everything in my life is to keep studying to get the best grades, and there is no time for play or entertainment. We even force ourselves to sleep less, because sleeping is also seen as a waste of time. I was stressed, depressed, exhausted, and everything was so brutal. We don't blame others or society for our predicaments, as most Americans do, we just take all the responsibility on our shoulders, work hard, improve ourselves, and surpass ourselves. Some of my Korean friends have had to work day and night as adults, they can't get home at night and are forced to work all night and sleep at their desks. Some of them died from poor health--- in effect working to death. From a country ravaged by poverty and war, to a country that has manifested itself in all fields. This is the price that the Koreans pay for it.

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@user-ut7fi7tu1g

I live in Ethiopia, I have worked with several Korens and most are older and whenever I point out these problems they tend to be defensive and avoid the conversation. It is a good start that the younger generation is aware of the issues.

I live in Ethiopia and have worked with several Koreans. Most of them are older, and whenever I point out these problems in Korean society to them, they tend to turn on their defense mechanisms and avoid discussing them with me. It is a good start for the younger generation to be aware of these issues.

@jojomythe

I think Ethiopia vs Koreans are like opposites. I've worked with Ethiopians for business and they never showed up at the time they chose - they literally showed up 1 day late. I told them I won't move on with them. One is too relaxed, and the other is dying for work

I think Ethiopians and Koreans are completely opposite beings. I've worked with Ethiopians who never show up at their own set time--- they can literally be late all day. I told them I wouldn't work with them anymore. One is too relaxed, and the other is working to death.

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@karoth2

Younger generations can’t do anything about it as well. they are running away from their homeland.90% of younger generations in Korea wanted to immigrate to other countries. Things are getting even worse now.

There is also little that can be done about it by the younger generation, who are fleeing their home countries. 90% of young Koreans want to immigrate to other countries. It's even worse today.