Earlier than I moved to South Korea, 12 years in the past, I hadn’t actually come throughout suicide in my social life. Now, yearly I hear of mates, or mates of mates, taking their very own lives. The latest suspected suicide of Okay-pop star Moonbin has centered minds but once more on this drawback – one which is much from restricted to the leisure business, however is a full-blown social disaster affecting Koreans of all ages and backgrounds. Nevertheless, it’s younger folks specifically who’re bearing the brunt.
So what’s going on?
Korea, in spite of everything, is a dynamic nation whose world fame is remarkably constructive. It has constructed from the behemoth that’s Okay-pop and its movie business, to its progressive skincare merchandise which have revolutionised the sweetness enterprise. These achievements have solidified South Korea’s fame as a cultural powerhouse and world trendsetter.
Moonbin, a member of Okay-pop boy band Astro, 2021. {Photograph}: Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Photographs
But beneath the facade lies a psychological well being disaster of grave proportions. In 2021, South Korea recorded a suicide price of 26 per 100,000 folks, the best amongst OECD international locations. Suicide was the principle reason behind dying for these aged 10 to 39, with 44% of teenage deaths and 56.8% of deaths of these of their 20s attributed to it. Psychological sickness was recognized because the main reason behind suicide.
I’ve seen this disaster with my very own eyes. A lot of my closest mates have struggled with suicidal ideas and melancholy. They usually cite societal pressures to succeed, emotions of isolation, worthlessness and discrimination for not conforming or being completely different. It’s a dialog that’s develop into all too acquainted and plenty of of my friends are searching for psychological assist, albeit discreetly. Whereas extra folks communicate brazenly about psychological well being than they used to, the subject nonetheless stays taboo and is usually seen as a private weak point or failure.
Suicide within the leisure business is only one manifestation of the fixed stress and stress that younger folks face in a hyper-competitive society. Within the case of Moonbin, in a reside chat simply days earlier than his passing, the singer with the group Astro mentioned, “I’ve chosen this job, so I have to deal with it”. Police discovered no indicators of foul play, and suspect he died by suicide.
Nevertheless, the disaster is just not confined to Okay-entertainment and there are not any scarcity of each day headlines about folks making “excessive selections”, a euphemism for ending one’s life. This consists of schoolchildren – elements corresponding to tutorial stress and bullying are cited as explanations.
This month, three youngsters fell to their deaths from high-rise buildings inside 5 days of one another in Seoul’s prosperous Gangnam district. Though the elements at play will likely be complicated and different, the place is understood for its excessive focus of elite faculties and costly personal “cram faculties”.
Within the hope of securing vivid futures for his or her kids, many dad and mom throw them into an intensive training system, which takes priority over socialisation and wellbeing. This obsession stems from the extremely aggressive job market, the place good grades and a prestigious college diploma are seen as mandatory for acquiring steady and well-paid employment. The result’s that the overwhelming majority of kids, some as younger as two, are despatched to cram faculties on high of normal education.
Right here’s the factor: South Korea is a deeply sad nation. Having written a e book on the subject, I’ve explored how South Korean tradition locations robust emphases on each conformity and competitors, a contradiction that may generate stress, isolation, suppressed feelings, and deep dissatisfaction.
Not too long ago, the federal government introduced its goal to cut back the nation’s suicide price by nearly 30% inside 5 years, and to shorten the hole between obligatory psychological well being checkups from 10 years to 2.
Not all psychological well being remedies are lined by nationwide insurance coverage, which makes it troublesome for folks to entry psychological well being companies. Personal counselling and remedy classes might be costly. This monetary burden might be particularly difficult for many who require ongoing counselling or remedy for situations corresponding to melancholy. Assist centres and helplines additionally exist and are taking part in an vital position, however these are primarily reactive measures to handle psychological well being points after they’ve developed.
I as soon as tutored a seven-year-old in English. She didn’t get to mattress till 10pm every day due to all her additional tuition and CV-embellishing actions. Throughout my classes, she tended to go to sleep. She was something however blissful. I felt horrible contributing to her distress, and give up.
As South Korea continues to dazzle with its outward picture of perfection, the obtrusive paradox at dwelling can now not be ignored. It’s time to interrupt the cycle of competitors and conformity and create a society that values compassion and individuality. Above all, policymakers want to revive hope in residents that South Korea is a spot the place they’ll merely be blissful.
Raphael Rashid is a Seoul-based freelance journalist and writer of The Korea We Refuse to See
Worldwide helplines might be discovered at www.befrienders.org. Within the UK and Eire, Samaritans might be contacted on 116 123 or e-mail jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. Within the US, the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline is at 800-273-8255 or chat for assist. You may as well textual content HOME to 741741 to attach with a disaster textual content line counselor. In Australia, the disaster assist service Lifeline is 13 11 14.
