Parents In South Korea Are Locking Themselves In Solitary Confinement, And The Reason Will Break Your Heart

South Korean parents participate in a self-confinement programme to understand the issues faced by their children. This involves being entirely cut off from the outside world.

Imagine being shut in a small room no bigger than a storeroom... no TV, phone, or laptop. You are not allowed to talk to anyone. Your only connection to the world outside is a tiny feeding hole. Although the situation may sound nothing short of imprisonment, it's part of an experience that involves "voluntary confinement for three days".

The reason? A desperate bid to understand their children's social withdrawal and anxiety.

At the "Happiness Factory" in Gangwon province, parents are seeking to understand the isolated lives of "reclusive youths" to offer better support, reported news website BBC Korea. The parents noticed that these youths have retreated from society, spending most of their time alone in their bedrooms, avoiding interaction.

What Does The Self-Isolation Programme For Parents In Korea Involve?

The programme includes mental health sessions that focus on family dynamics, parent-child relationships, and broader social connections. Some parents report gaining insights into their children's feelings of anxiety and loneliness.

Jin Young-hae (name changed), a 50-year-old mother, shared with BBC Korea that her son remained in his bedroom for three years. After leaving college, he isolated himself, neglecting personal hygiene and even skipping meals. "It breaks my heart," she was quoted as saying by BBC.

Jin mentioned that after her three-day confinement and reading diaries of other reclusive youths, she better understands her 24-year-old son's emotions. "I realized he uses silence to protect himself because he feels misunderstood," Jin explained.

Yoo Seung-chul, a communication and sociology professor at Ewha Womans University, told news website South China Morning Post that this confinement for parents, which brings a variety of emotions to the fore, can foster better communication with their children. "However, continuous support from mental health professionals is necessary to effectively address the issue of social withdrawal among young people," he added.

South Korea's Youth Suicides And Isolation

A survey by the South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare last year found that over 5% of 15,000 young respondents were self-isolating, with lower life satisfaction and mental health compared to their peers. Kim Seonga, a researcher at the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, compared reclusive South Korean youths to China's "lying flat" movement, wherein young adults reject the 'rat race' arising from societal pressures.

Studies indicate that South Korean youths isolate themselves due to work stress, emotional challenges, and family expectations.

A 2022 study showed that two-fifths of all teenage deaths in South Korea involved suicide. This prompted the government to launch a five-year plan to tackle the issue.

The SCMC quoted Kim Hye-won, a psychology professor at Hoseo University, that South Korean youths strive to follow a traditional life path: securing a job in their 20s, marrying in their 30s, and having children in their 40s. Any deviation from this path can often lead to feelings of worthlessness, frustration, shame, and eventually, withdrawal.

Research suggests that youth isolation significantly impacts society. The Korea Youth Foundation estimated last year that the economic losses and costs of welfare and healthcare for reclusive youths could exceed 7.5 trillion Korean won (US$5.4 billion) annually.