A Society in Crisis: An Analysis of the Intersection Between South Korean Society and Mental Health

Author: Amanda Treulich

Field of Study: Social Sciences

Program Affiliation: Global Studies Capstone

Faculty Mentors: William Pavlovich

Abstract: Since the 1990s, South Korea has been experiencing an ongoing mental health crisis with depression and suicide rates steadily rising despite various political programs put in place outlining strategies to address the issue. The nation had the fourth highest reported suicide rates in the world in 2019, and suicide rates increased to 27.3 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023. This study examined a selection of societal factors that might be contributing to worsening mental health for Koreans, focusing on rapid modernization, Confucian values, and academic culture. The cultural syndrome hwabyung was studied as a mental health condition uniquely shaped by Korean culture. The research showed a disconnect between the identified factors and the solutions proposed by the South Korean government, implicating their effectiveness. This emphasized the need to incorporate the aforementioned societal factors into healthcare practices, which can help frame future mental health policies.