"Not About Money, But Pressure from High Expectations"... BBC Highlights Korea's 'Eundunhyeong Oltoli' (Hikikomori)

"Feeling of Failing to Meet Society's Success Standards"
"The Problem of a Society Uniformly Forcing Study"

British broadcaster BBC analyzed South Korea's issue of ‘eundunhyeong oeltori’ (reclusive social withdrawal). The BBC reported, "Many young people, pressured by society's high expectations, choose to isolate themselves."

On the 26th (local time), the BBC highlighted South Korea's reclusive social withdrawal issue by sharing the story of Yuseunggyu (30). After five years of reclusive living, Yuseunggyu stepped out of his studio apartment for the first time in 2019.

He first cleaned the messy house with his younger sibling and then went sea fishing with other recluses he met through a nonprofit organization. He said, "Going to the sea felt strange, and ending my reclusion was very refreshing," adding, "It felt unreal, but I was definitely there." Currently, Yuseunggyu runs and operates ‘An Museoun Hoesa’ (Not Scary Company), which helps others like him who are reclusive.

According to a recent report titled ‘Status and Support Measures for Isolated and Reclusive Youth’ by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, the proportion of isolated and reclusive youth aged 19 to 34 was 5.0% in 2021, meaning 5 out of every 100 young people.

Applying this to the youth population in 2021 (10,776,000), the number of isolated youth reaches 538,000. Before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, it was about 3.1%, or approximately 334,000, but social isolation deepened due to prolonged social distancing during the pandemic.

Earlier, the government announced in March through a ‘Youth Life Survey’ targeting 15,000 households that the number of isolated and reclusive youth who answered ‘almost always stay at home’ reached 244,000. However, if the criteria are expanded to include social interaction breakdowns, the actual number of reclusive social withdrawal cases is likely higher.

Accordingly, the government provides monthly living expenses up to 650,000 KRW, treatment costs, and educational expenses to youth recluses meeting certain income criteria to encourage social reintegration. Under the Youth Welfare Support Act, economic support is given to at-risk youth aged 9 to 24, and last month, the enforcement decree was partially amended to include reclusive youth in the ‘at-risk youth’ category.

However, the BBC conveyed the voices of young people saying, "Choosing isolation is not due to economic problems." They argue that reclusive social withdrawal cannot be solved solely by government support.

A (34), who experienced reclusive living, said, "My parents often fought when I was young, which affected my school life," adding, "It was so hard that I couldn't take care of myself." He has been receiving treatment since 2018 and is gradually restarting social life.

In an interview with the BBC, A questioned, "I wonder why the government links reclusive living to financial status," stating, "The economic backgrounds of reclusive individuals vary. Not all recluses face financial difficulties." In fact, both Yuseunggyu and A received financial support from their parents during their reclusive periods.

The BBC analyzed, "Reclusive individuals generally feel they do not meet society’s or their family’s standards of success," adding, "If they do not follow conventional career paths, they are treated as social misfits or criticized for poor academic performance."

A said, "Society uniformly forces children to study," and "Young people should be given the freedom to find what they like and are good at."

Yuseunggyu revealed, "After entering the university my father wanted, I felt ashamed. I wondered why I couldn't choose freely, which made me miserable," adding, "I couldn't tell my parents about these feelings." Eventually, he quit university after a month, concluded his life was wrong, and entered isolation. He confessed, "At one point, I didn't even want to go to the bathroom to avoid facing my family."

Kim Sujin, senior manager at seed:s, a nonprofit organization running support programs for reclusive individuals, pointed out, "Korean youth think, ‘I am a failure,’ or ‘I am too late’ if they cannot meet society’s expectations," adding, "This social atmosphere lowers their self-esteem and can ultimately lead to social disconnection."

She continued, "Reclusive individuals want jobs where they can think, ‘I can do this much,’ or ‘It’s not that difficult,’" and "Society should become one where more diverse job and educational opportunities are available."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.