By Shim Jae-yun
“Hell Joseon,” a time period used to explain Korea, has turn into a potent expression of the nation’s deep-seated inequalities and structural issues. The youthful era, specifically, feels a profound sense of disillusionment and despair concerning the future. This sentiment is starkly mirrored within the nation’s low birthrate. The difficult social setting — the place it’s virtually inconceivable to think about having and elevating youngsters — leads younger folks to lose hope for his or her future, threatening the very basis of the nation’s survival.
A movie that vividly portrays this actuality is “As a result of I hate Korea.” The film follows Gyena, a younger girl who decides to go away Korea for New Zealand searching for a greater life, away from the cruel realities she faces at dwelling. Gyena involves see life in Korea as a supply of despair moderately than hope, feeling that it stifles her id and happiness. Her determination is emblematic of a broader development amongst younger Koreans who’re wanting overseas for alternatives and a extra promising future, reflecting the deep-rooted structural points inside Korean society. Within the movie, Gyena is symbolically in comparison with a penguin named Pablo, who, disliking the chilly, ventures searching for hotter land.
The “hateful” points in Korean society are various and complicated. One main drawback is the rigidity of the labor market. First rate jobs are extremely wanted however scarce, resulting in intense competitors. The strain to build up {qualifications} and the extreme give attention to tutorial credentials place immense stress on younger folks. Even after graduating from college, those that don’t safe a daily job could also be relegated to non permanent or part-time work, which additional undermines their high quality of life. Consequently, it turns into difficult to attain job safety or to make long-term plans.
Moreover, the tradition of hyper-competition erodes belief and solidarity amongst folks. In a society the place people are considered as rivals moderately than companions, and the place exclusion and competitors take priority over cooperation, human relationships inevitably undergo. The youthful era, having been raised on this setting, usually come to see one another as adversaries. This mindset fosters a vicious cycle of distrust and nervousness, changing into pervasive all through society.
An much more urgent subject is the pervasive tradition that equates cash with every little thing. In a society the place higher-paying jobs are valued over significant work, materials success is usually seen as the only real purpose in life. This give attention to financial achievement over human dignity contributes to widespread ethical decay. Consequently, younger persons are left with a profound sense of disillusionment, struggling to know their true life targets amid a tradition that prioritizes monetary acquire above all else.
Nonetheless, there are nations which have overcome such challenges. The Netherlands and Sweden are ceaselessly highlighted as profitable examples in addressing low birthrates. Each nations have developed inclusive and versatile labor markets that assist younger folks steadiness work and life. For example, the Netherlands affords numerous work situations, together with versatile hours, to assist people handle their work and household tasks. Equally, Sweden gives beneficiant parental depart and versatile working hours, enabling mother and father to spend extra time with their youngsters. These supportive programs are very important for younger folks considering parenthood and have performed a big position in boosting birthrates.
Just lately, The Korea Occasions hosted a roundtable dialogue that includes notable dignitaries and specialists. The panel included Dutch Ambassador Peter van der Vliet, Swedish Deputy Head of Mission Johannes Andreasson, Kim Sang-hee from the Ministry of Well being and Welfare who oversees youngsters’s insurance policies, and Yi In-sil, head of the Korean Peninsula Inhabitants Institute for Future.
In moderating the talk, I highlighted the pressing inhabitants challenges dealing with South Korea. The envoys responded enthusiastically, sharing their nations’ experiences and classes. Their insights supplied invaluable and multi-faceted options to the demographic points at hand.
Korea may benefit vastly from the examples set by these nations. Insurance policies ought to goal to boost labor market flexibility and develop a strong social security web to alleviate hyper-competition. Moreover, fostering a social setting that values extra than simply monetary success is essential for serving to younger folks rediscover their goals and aspirations.
For Korean youth to flee the cruel realities of “Hell Joseon” and envision a brighter future, we should decide to collective motion. This transformation wants to start out now. The examples set by the Netherlands and Sweden show that change is achievable, and Korea can succeed as effectively.
Shim Jae-yun is a chief editorial author of The Korea Occasions.
