South Korea: Society on the brink

[@garyliu6825]

As someone grew up in China, I can really relate. The hyper competitive nature of the education culture was and still is so toxic to the point that kids often broke down even before prepping Gaokao/Uni entrance exam( depression was not really a thing back then). And now you often get "996"(9am-9pm, 6 days a week) work schedule, where and how do you find the time to live? Let alone have and raise kids......

[@jivvyjack7723]

If it was about time and the pressures of life, I don't find it much different from the "old days". In the old days, just having 3 meals a day was a challenge. Working 2 jobs, or any odd jobs was common. Fathers were frequently away. Mum managed the household alone. Kids work after school hours. Now they spend their time in more school activities or tuition schools but I don't see this as more stress than doing jobs after school to supplement the family income. And yet they raised many children. To my mind, the main reasons are the materialistic, superficial values modern societies now embrace, the death of family and altruistic values and connections, and the high cost of daily living. The high cost of life necessities is the one thing that governments must manage to enable other things to happen.

@@jivvyjack7723 Family was considered welfare and pension network. Children were considered almost necessary to provide you at old age. Today that is not needed and women have more choices, it's no wonder that number of children goes down. The old system still frowns upon divorce and remarriage, which are things that can provide more opportunities for children. It's the clash of old and new that is creating the issue. But one thing is for certain, there is no going back to the old.

[@jivvyjack7723]

@ Yes. And that's why I said it is not about time or money or that life is harder now.

[@azedel7151]

@ "Children were considered almost necessary to provide you at old age. Today that is not needed" -------------- Younger people are still needed. Who pays for the pensions of the old? Who cares for the elderly in hospitals, in nursing homes? Someone's kids do. If you don't have enough kids, then they import them. Remarriages have higher failure rates than first marriages.

[@howellwong11]

A high powered economy can be stressful for everyone including kids.

[@DPtdryste]

The money machine, the career machine, the machine that tells you to produce GDP points… is anti-family lol.

[@orangesnake2256]

The Education machine is an ally of these. The more educated you are, the less likely you are to have b abies

[@serebii666]

The family machine is just another part the machine that tells you to produce GDP points. The whole reason why people are worried about decline birth rates is because of the future impact on consumption and GDP output. And it was the case historically too. more children were useful tools as labour on farms that multiplied output and therefore wealth. Today children are expensive burdens in service based cities, with long and potentially negligible return-on-investment rates. So people choose to have less of them.

[@alexisf22]

I agree 100%

[@SSM12457]

Theres definitely a disconnect with how reality used to be. Its becoming more self-centered because of society pushing an agenda of competition on us.

[@serebii666]

@@ciaraann6377 well, while I agree childfree life is more enjoyable, Koreans are not happy either way. Korea has the worlds highest suicide rate, with poor working conditions being a big factor.

[@NBAyyy]

That old lonely grandma breaks my heart and I wish I could visit her as a neighbor

[@paulbucklebuckle4921]

I'm sure we too are surrounded by lonley old folk .

[@davethewave7248]

@@paulbucklebuckle4921 Yes, it's one thing to think about it in the abstract... and see it on the screen, quite another to actually strike up a converstaion with an elderly in the flesh.

[@NBAyyy]

@MakeB711 I hope you get the therapy you clearly need

[@LW78321]

Omg, same here 😢

[@Yellow-Rose]

There are elderly people just like her in our own communities. Make friends with one of them.

[@marastar208]

As living costs rise this will be a problem. We are beginning to see this in the United States. Why would a woman choose to have children if she sees that taking care of them properly would be a constant struggle? I had one child. Economics and practicality and health played a huge role in my decision. I sometimes say that "despair" is a virus spreading over the world. People are disconnected from one another and our societies perpetuate the disconnection despite having online communities we need connections with substance. When we work all the time and don't connect with each other we emotionally deteriorate.

[@GringoAzteco]

Bravo 🙌 I think you nailed it 🎯. It’s worldwide 🌏 now ⚠️

[@laflines8711]

I totally agree with you. I believe we have to totally reformulate our society to match our needs and the needs of our families in the future. Those at the top don't believe in sharing their wealth, that is one aspect of the problem. Having a government that is more responsive to the needs of the people is another aspect. Reducing the work hours while maintaining pay will go a long way for us to have time to take care of our families properly. That's not even all of the ways to create a more vibrant and less stressed society.

[@richardscathouse]

I feel like I've been pushing a rock uphill every day for the last thirty years 😢

[@Upgrayedddd]

​@@laflines8711its not society's responsibility to make sure you can have your cake and eat it too. You want time off? Work part-time. Of course, they still want full-time pay and there is no justification for the special treatment you propose. An incentive for some is a penalty for those who have to pay for it and work harder in their absence.

[@laflines8711]

@@Upgrayedddd I call you on your Bullshite! We can and will make our society more responsive to the people. You can go live in Russia if you want somebody to tell you what to do.

[@chrisrutherfurd9338]

I spoke with a group of women, all of them with one or two young children. They told me the biggest pressure to raising a child in Korea are the educational costs. Private education is what is crippling the household in debt, but they can't stop because it's a hyper competitive society. It's a vicious cycle.

[@etienne8110]

Careful of selection bias. You only met those who already were affluent enough to have kids. Thus the next item on the list for them is private tuition costs. Doesn t mean it s the first hurdle met by the rest of the population...

[@Logic807]

Come to Singapore. Koreans say less competition

[@HawaiianBrian69]

more and more people just can't afford to live. and many unrealistic expectations. i'm a very attractive man and i get put on a pedestal whenever i go visit. i low key just think it's weird. like you don't even know me and you're treating me like a god because of the way i look.

[@alhkcblack9617]

This is a worldwide trend in developed nations. The way around it is to de-emphasize mega cities which are high stress high cost and like pressure cookers. Nobody wants nor can afford family building. Emphasize modernizing smaller cities and towns and have more flexible work hours with remote work options. When people are less stressed with good living environment families will naturally happen.

[@wbbwbb2622]

The new age of of greed where a hand full of people suck up all the wealth and resources will lead to nothing but this . On top of corrupted politicians and corporations.

[@AnaS-oz5fl]

SK is not even a developed country, to be honest

[@GK-yi4xv]

I wonder how the birth rates of Koreans who have emigrated to other, less crowded, less competitive Western countries compares to those who remain in Korea.

[@stevenhenry5267]

Get corporations out of public policy making.

[@aumelb]

​@@AnaS-oz5flit actually is.

[@ksrithan]

Please make a video about Thailand for the the same problem. It is projected to become the first developing country to be classified as a super-aged society soon.

[@sharinaross1865]

Really, didn't know!!!!!!

[@躺平专家]

Dont be fooled by West media, population decrease is good for everyone except gov and elites bank on more people for more profit

[@At_sk]

That's just horrifying. Becoming old while poor/mid income.

[@tarunika983]

What??why 😮

[@Kburn1985]

Young people in Thailand are done for. All their tax money is used up by the previous generation, and the next generation will be too small to support them.

[@HerezCheez]

Low birthrate is not the ISSUE!! It's the result of the high stress society.

[@minaryeon9259]

Increase of Infertility as well because of diet and stress

[@eKko0]

low birthrate is absolutely the issue (for the ruling class because they will run out of people to exploit eventually) high stress society is not the issue (for the ruling class because thats the natural result of exploiting you), make no mistake they will grind the world population into dust crying about how were not having children and will never discuss the real issues that would devastate their pockets

[@Scrunchie_777]

Exactly! Stressed animals will not breed, it's the same with humans.

[@Anonymous-xq3cd]

Then add social media in there, making women’s standards very unrealistic and insanely high where only 0.02% of the entire male species on planet earth fit the criteria. Its ridiculous.

[@espieangeliegarcinezbaulit7714]

Expensive lifestyle is so selfish young generation don't want family to build because it's tormenting😢but in the long run..aging is reality money can't change loneliness..

[@sct4040]

As I got older, I no longer cares what people think or what brand I wear. Wanting stuff, chasing consumer goods are gone.

[@sarahsangi6505]

Totally agree,spending all your efforts and money for what is just to be confirmed by someone else ,not worth it...

[@Bluebird19-ll8su]

Me, too. However, I hear so many people say, 'Oh, but this stuff makes me good. I need it for my self-esteem.' Such as, 'I need to get my nails done, to spend a fortune cutting and coloring my hair, wearing brand name perfumes, getting brand name shoes and clothes, handbags that cost hundreds of dollars'. Rubbish. Luckily for me, I've never understood that. I only want more money to help out animal charities I support.

[@Thinkforyourself1234]

I agree , for me it was due to finding myself in a high paying career that enabled me to “enjoy” such “luxury” things without putting myself under too much financial pressure so I did Now that I have experienced those things I have the “luxury” of not bothering with them so much and like many older people have come to see it all as largely unnecessary but like anything in life if you can afford it then it won’t become a problem, it’s when you feel the need but can’t afford it that it becomes a problem. This is prevalent in the west with social media pushing high end lifestyles and and consumerism whilst most people are actual broke and stressed and fearful of the future which leads to depression and mental health problems . Having a child requires some level of security and stability and that is lacking now

[@Kittykat6000-f7b]

I wear what’s affordable I don’t follow fashion whatever is cheaper I have it I don’t need to impress anyone

[@nancyk8153]

Even in USA we are having this issue, it's simply too expensive to have a family in today's world.

[@tour-de-tour]

true, Canadian friends also said that

[@frankcastle2876]

Don't have kids and you just might make it.

[@Itried20takennames]

Except…the poorest countries have the most kids. That is fact…Pakistan, Nigeria, etc. have 50% of the population under age 25. So It’s more complicated than just “it’s too expensive.” And I have 3 kids in the US…not that hard.

[@justmytwocentsdontgetmad]

@@Itried20takennames Yes correct. As mentioned in this documentary, the declining birthrate trend seems to be common in Developed Countries where people tend to prioritize their careers or businesses over love life or raising a family. People in 1st world countries tend to overthink and overanalyze the consequences of the cost of living and quality of life. Whereas a lot of people in 3rd world countries lack education (unfortunately) and are living in a cycle of poverty. They don't really think about the consequences of their actions since they think nothing can be done to alleviate their continuous sufferings 😔

[@karndorbad6536]

Unless your poor it’s free

[@RequiescatInPace]

@18:38 - For a Confucian country that prides itself on respecting its elders and taking care of them, this is soo sad to see.

[@justaperson1769]

Yes, but no wonder when Evangelical Christianity takes over, and it is happening in China too, called underground Churches

[@Karyabs]

I guess it's Confucian in name only

[@dagmarbubolz7999]

What you wanna do? It's just the reality. The young can't simultaniously work high hours and care for the elderly in a sufficient way and the numbers are just screwed. We have the same demographic problem in Germany, with a lot measures already taken to support families. But all that can't keep up with rising rent prices alone. And no individual wants to sacrifice their happiness to help the economy or some national structure. That's literally Nazi tactics they used back then.

[@santeriabanks2930]

It's the confusion values that they keep on following. They haven't seen the light yet. Those values are the reason why their seniors are living way beyond their age limits and are getting richer.

[@justaperson1769]

@@santeriabanks2930 Yes!

[@StephenDavis-vh4oc]

When you have society that worships material wealth and status, beyond human relationships, this is what you get, no surprise. Sad all the way around.

[@adamsaciid4919]

They're not alone they share that most of Asian countries and America also some European countries

[@g.williams2047]

@adamsaciid4919 The US is not like this. We worship self, not materialism. Both are problematic but worship of materialism burns down a society way faster than worship of self.

[@eKko0]

america is not materialistic? trust me that is not the impression we get over here@@g.williams2047

[@At_sk]

​@@g.williams2047the us is not like this because of immigration. The population otherwise is declining massively. Obviously not like SK.

[@SM-ov7yi]

I am not into material stuff, but I am not bringing my own children into this cruel world. I am not putting another human on this cycle of stupidity. I don't like to own anything apart from what is necessary.

[@calidreams5379]

Imagine a society where there are more working robots than humans. Soon the robots will have no one to work for. The doll for elderly is honestly so sad, it’s better than nothing but clearly a band-aid. At that stage, if they cannot live with family why doesn’t the government help make assisted or independent living communities that can offer more social interaction for the elderly. In college I taught one semester at a retirement community that offered all kinds of activities, classes and even group field trips. These seniors were active and were enjoying themselves as far as I could tell.

[@knight3672]

The segment was heart breaking.

[@jivvyjack7723]

Because the Korean government is still so backward in their thinking in terms of managing modern societies. Many simple solutions can be put in place to help change the society but they are not doing it. Eg. Even though they know that this is a population crisis, they still make it extremely difficult for young women to keep illegitimate babies with their outdated archaic laws; thus encouraging a high rate of abortion. Obviously there is zero support for such "mistakes" .

[@janicewolk6492]

Plus: no consumers!

[@fc7307]

Most of the elderly (not the specific grandma in this video) have no children themselves. Their siblings might not be alive anymore so who can they call "family" then? Even the current SoKor president himself is childless.

[@fool1124]

No point to keep the elderlies when there is no babies, can you see my point.

[@maxrebo8455]

Brand obsession with babies’ clothes and strollers? I had no idea. There's no hope if society is that shallow.

[@JOYJOY-hk2oc]

Well said.

[@lasvegasnevada7514]

Not really.this part is something they just over exaggerate.

[@maxdc988]

I would say, real estate is the root cause of high cost of living in society for the past few decades.

[@maptonowhere3362]

And low interest rates are what caused housing prices to get so high. So who controls interest rates?

[@louarmstrong6128]

​@@maptonowhere3362the rich people

[@minaryeon9259]

They want it that way

[@siewkonsum7291]

Main causes of alarming birthrate decline are due to a very materialistic society, high of social pressure and competition to keep up worsens by the severe lack of natural resources in Korea. 😢

[@fredh8065]

I would say the Anglo Saxon culture and foreign policy towards ASian country is to exploit you to your people and does not want you to reproduce.

[@orangesnake2256]

You're so right. This argument: "I'm so afraid of being judged when I wear cheap brands" It's actually their own fault they believe in that.

[@Byebye-p2k]

İn other words extreme CAPITALISM

[@rgb9795]

uljima

[@kubhlaikhan2015]

Korea has achieved miracles in engineering and high quality products the world wants. It has little to do with scarce raw materials, the economy is being rotted away by debt, especially through inflating the cost of basic necessities like housing. Not an accident, a plan.

[@sunshinesun121]

This Phenomenon is HAPPENING ACROSS the World. It happens when COST to have a livable life becomes too HIGH. Having Children also becomes HIGH. Owning a HOME is difficult and Cost of Living ( Food, Transport, medical, etc ) becomes too high. Why take on the BURDEN of CHILDREN ?? I have many friends who decided NOT to have KIDS. S.Korea like Japan will soon have a decline in Manufacturing as WORKERS are getting less. Taiwan, S.Korea and Japan will have a SHRINKING GDP. Whilst Cost of Living gets more EXPENSIVE.

[@julianinurgahayati911]

Not sure if it's just my nationality, but both my sister and brother have four children each (all 8 are adults now). My son has 4 children. My son's 2 friends have 3 children each and a friend I used to work with has 5 children. So I don't know...

[@susiex6669]

​@@julianinurgahayati911Where do you live? Im in Canada and my working class parents had four kids with a stay at home mother in the 80s. Thats no longer a possibility. Real estate and rents are crazy. Cost of living is very high. Public schooling was completely free when I was younger, now theres so many fees and things you have to buy. It all adds up. Why have kids for other people to raise because you never see them, youre always working?

[@patriciavandevelde5469]

Bah they can inport from.china and India, noooooooo problem enough people!

[@danthovict381]

Oh the cost of living is so high!! How i can afford home, how can i have children?! Its so expensive for daily life! I dont want to have kids!. Proceed to have debt for buying luxurious Gucci bags, etc. Lol

[@editfazekas3854]

@@patriciavandevelde5469 Quality matters and everybody wants their tribe/nation to survive instead of paying tax to subsidize foreign breeders in your homeland just to become a minority under them. Look at Western Europe...

[@lieveponny]

Really sad to see elderly people hugging robots 😳

[@wst844]

Don't condemn other people's life choices as "mistakes" just because you don't agree with them@somerandomperson1503

[@mariatolentino4516]

​@somerandomperson1503in the US, they don't get robots. They hoard cats.

[@At_sk]

​@@mariatolentino4516isn't that just better lol.

[@sonderexpeditions]

​@somerandomperson1503beg to differ. I used to volunteer with my church in nursing homes. Everyone I met had kids. But they were still lonely.

[@natashadickson4819]

​@@sonderexpeditions This is the part that some people refuse to accept.

[@KK-ol5ov]

Nothing lasts, a person, a family, a government, a country, no matter what they do reach a peak and then die or end. Everything resets

[@treasurethetime2463]

There is NOTHING they can do. Once you have a generation with a 1 birth rate, the game is over. That country is one for the history books, never to exist again.

[@XiXai]

Even earth. It’s about to…

[@SkyBlue-ww5mf]

I’m 35. I spent half of my life in SK and the other half in the west(multiple countries). But I don’t think the problems are unique only in South Korea. SK got rich so quickly and showing the side effects also as quickly. The main cause in my opinion is capitalism and how we’re constantly pushed to do more, want more and be better than others so we can feel good about our achievements. The society is built to maximise this on top of many of Confucian values. From education to start with, designed to create obedient hard workers who don’t ask too many questions with necessary skills. With no natural resources to sell other than only its people, that’s already exhausting. Secondly in case of SK and Japan mainly, there’s a huge cultural and civilisational clash between collectivism and individualism. Growing up in the 80-90s I still remember a strong sense of community, family and all. I knew most people in my building well, mothers still gathered around regularly to catch up. Now we don’t know who our neighbours are and I barely speak to my relatives. I’m still young yet still remember the old days so one can imagine how fast the society changed over only a couple of decades. So there’s a huge generational gap/tension where one side still holds the old and traditional values strongly while the other side just doesn’t understand this and is rather repulsed by them. Third, it’s the economic situation. SK is not growing like it used to back in the 80-2000s. Economy is barely growing every year meaning there are less opportunities, wage s are stagnating while house price etc skyrocketed so it is no longer viable to think of having kids. And lastly society wide tension between men vs women became a thing. It goes back to the old ways like men buying the house while women bring furniture etc because mainly men worked while women looked after the children but it’s no longer the case. Both men and women work nowadays while in many cases men are still expected to continue the tradition while also having to serve in the army for 2 yrs which is a significant time in early career development. And lastly there are too many things to do other than tiresome dating scene for both sides without having to sacrifice things we consider important in our lives. Just my humble opinion… the west tried to solve the issue with mass immigration and this will I think backfire eventually and simply won’t solve the issue unless this continues forever. Potential solutions could be slowly changing the toxic work culture, more affordable housing, changing some societal values or perceptions towards unmarried couples living together, single mothers, only certain jobs are viewed as good enough and acceptable, and pressure to do one’s ‘duty’ as children (for example the vicious cycle of study hard-get into a good uni-get a society approved job- buy a house - get married- etc and repeat)…

[@richardcoughlin8931]

Excellent points. Thanks for sharing your experience. Mass immigration is always problematic - witness the constant conflict over immigrants from Europe flooding the United States from the 1850s through the 1910s. While challenging, mass immigration is less difficult in societies largely composed by first, second and third generations of immigrants. My grandparents came to the US from other countries (Ireland, Canada and Hungary) around 1900. The Hungarian grandparents suffered discrimination and had hard lives in the new country, but their children (my parents) considered themselves and were treated as fully American. So it took only one generation for complete assimilation to occur. My guess is that a similar dynamic will eventually take place with the current mass immigration from Latin America. For European nations, with very limited experience with immigration, the process is much more difficult.

[@traminkent]

Very insightful, thank you for sharing your thoughts

[@Exascale]

You would think that they would be smart enough to realized the main problem causing this demographic collapse. Plain and simple its the economic burdon of supporting the Landlord class. You even say it is "capitalism" without realizing it. If you look around any country with a collapsing population you will see one group of folks that are still happily breeding - the Landlords. Landlords do nothing productive for the society and only serve to enforce their rights to getting paid for essentially nothing. When you have a significant fraction of the population extracting resources from the whole - essentially living off of the hard labor of everyone - you increase the resource burdon on the working class. The problem is that the laws and social structure serve to enforce this modern day feudalism, and hence the main living cost (shelter) is artificially made scarce. You want to get the population breeding again - wipe out the landlords and put laws in place banning for profit ownership of shelter. Unfortunately, the genetic predisposition of Koreans does not afford them a high testosterone blood concentration on average, and hence they are a more docile population. Pressure like this in other parts of the world lead to civil unrest and revolutions but the east asian populations have a low testosterone count and tend to obey their masters (Landlords).

[@오늘도유튜브와]

짧게 쓰면 사람들이 더 읽을거에요

[@vivianfoster702]

I’m Asian too, grew up in America. Break the cycle. Give no shit what others say or think. Wear what you want. Live how you want. Korea needs a revolution, not a physical one, but a cultural one. Stop giving in to what parents want, what society wants, what is expected. Live your life.

[@PeterSodhi]

That Robot baby scene is the saddest thing I have ever seen...

[@Sudulicious]

Robots are not the sad part, neither the children not being there...what's sad are these elderly people being so boring and useless and wasting their years for stupid things or in watching TV. The elders don't deserve respect as in the past, they have no wisdom nor knowledge to transmute to younger people, they're annoying attention seekers all wanting to live in routines.

[@mark9294]

@create306is this really any different in the west?

[@Mr.Eminem]

​@@Sudulicious based and brutal truth

[@싸넬동지-7성담배]

South Korea is just a Japan 2.0

[@ice-tgaming4609]

​@@SuduliciousDamn you really hate your parents huh?

[@eekay3646]

Here's another problem. Since S Korea is experiencing a population decline due to low birth rates, it's now thinking about "immigration" because the younger gen S Koreans disdain manual labor. This poses a serious problem, because diversity causes division politically, economically, socially, etc. Secondly, when you relegate the "jobs natives are reluctant to do," it causes revolt and huge class disparity. You are asking for problems. It's has been proven through history that all industrialized countries that relegate low paying, menial jobs to immigrants experience higher crime, political clashes, more socioeconomic disparity, more divisiveness, etc. Don't use immigration to form a larger proletariat class. Native S Koreans should do these jobs.

[@jose131991]

But they won’t like they are not in the west so your anti-immigration feelings won’t change the facts. You know you got it bad with your young native population when very few of them complain about either robots or immigration “stealing all the jobs” like you constantly hear and would hear in the west. In the west, at least there’s some resistance and voiced concerns from BOTH old and young. In SK, only the old complain about it and the young doesn’t care at all as long as the next episode of K-pop love it whatever comes on.

[@eekay3646]

@@jose131991 Jose, try to form coherent sentences first, bro. I know your only "knowledge" of Korea is "Kpop" and with Japan it's "anime, JDM cars, etc." That shows how low brow your mindset is.

[@adofoi30]

You need to realize Koreans are working at 2-4 jobs at a time and are not being paid at any of them. Immigrants are really there for labor and future breeding stock.

[@Rohit-dx3uk]

Take the North Koreans. They are poor and they will not cause any problem as they have same culture and origin.

[@churblesfurbles]

​@@jose131991 Being against immigration is fine, fertility naturally rebalances as those who favor children will become the majority. Low quality immigrants are a permanent fiscal burden.

[@ChiranjeeviEswaran]

This will keep on continuing as the society eventually collapses

[@101ineke]

But it is normal in our history that societies collapssed, their comes an orther form of society. Survival instinct takes over. Ideas shifts and change.

[@geoffreyharris5931]

The oriental people are genetically and culturally a dead-end. Both biologically and organizationally they are being culled out of the gene pool and cultural matrix.

[@heron6462]

I've lived in Japan and they have the same problem there: the worship of work and consumption that is made worse by both industry and government. We're trapped on an accelerating treadmill. If everybody works, the prices of essentials rise to meet increased earnings, so we're no better off. We can afford lots of small and entertaining things, but a house, or land, or free time, is out of reach. Industry wants to grow and profit, so they encourage production and consumption; and the government wants everyone to work and pay taxes, and between them, they suck the life-blood out of the population, which shrivels and shrinks accordingly. You can't have a stable, growing, or even happy population while everyone is at work. Fifty years ago we were told that with efficiency and automation, we would need to work only a few hours a day to enjoy a high standard of living. We were fooled. A small minority of billionaires benefit from technological advances, while the rest of us are still working long hours. If we worked only four hours a day as predicted, there would be plenty of time for parents to raise their children and enjoy their lives, and the population crisis would simply not exist.

[@Guitar6ty]

The only problem there would be if you only work for 4 hours the company wont pay you for 8 hours work its the entire system that is anti human and its run by criminals.

[@Joseph-XRP]

Yes, but the problem with most people, is that they are.....wait a minute!!!! YOU TRICKED ME!!!!! GET BACK TO WORK!!!!!

[@sonderexpeditions]

South Korea is slightly different in the fact that unlike Japan, many people are coupled but selectively choose to not have kids

[@clarelear129]

well said😢

[@davisholman8149]

@@sonderexpeditions. My friend is Korean & lived in California for 25 years. She told me much of what you have shared here. It makes me sad - love my friend & her family & only wish the best for the great folks in Korea. FAMILY is gold!

[@goldy.c]

As I delve into understanding Korean culture and economy, I can't help but empathize with the hardships faced by the people living in South Korea. It is globally recognized as a high-consumption country, renowned for its technological prowess, the fame of K-pop in entertainment, and the prominence of beauty and cosmetic industries. The control of the economy by large conglomerates has plunged South Korea into a dark era. South Korea, with its numerous issues, has brought people from overseas and Koreans to a level of resistance and danger. This includes issues like gender inequality, racism, appearance-based discrimination, and a severe class divide, which are particularly pronounced in the country. While South Korea ranks high in Asia, the mental unhealthy index of its people is also notably high. It's unlikely to be a top choice for immigration, investment, or travel for most individuals. Those who do travel often come to see K-pop artists, and considering future prospects, South Korea faces significant challenges.

[@sukholmes1066]

I can see why so many young Korean people call S Korea a HELL!

[@elguapo3811]

K-pop is cringe

[@izzyrov5814]

​@@elguapo3811I've never liked pop groups, cringe worthy 😂

[@SaltLakeCityKitty]

​@elguapo3811 Trot is way better than Kpop, but then again I'm old enough to be a Kpop star's mom.

[@JOYJOY-hk2oc]

You are spot on about the Korean problems. I totally agree with you.

[@deb4908]

South Korea may be the extreme but they are definitely not alone.

[@usiohaki295]

Lucky for me, in my country nobody give two hoots about what anyone wears as long as it is decent.

[@orangesnake2256]

Even if they did, you shouldn't let it bother you. That is the main point none of these far east cultures understand. They can't get over this problem🤣

[@farhadmoshref8016]

Which country is it ?

[@amateruss]

@@farhadmoshref8016 North Korea.

[@dressleradam]

Koreans are going broke following Gangnam Styles

[@okosalaska]

@@amateruss Would you tell us about North Korea?

[@TheVariedEdbanger]

They also need to look into the cultural expectations placed on women after marriage and children. Reform and support is needed for them.

[@ladybug3380]

I agree

[@misamisamisamisamisamisa]

true

[@Cuhsidy]

untrue, thats a minor issue compared to the big bad wolf

[@TheVariedEdbanger]

Nah. I respectfully disagree. If a young Korean woman did everything that was traditionally expected of her, she would never live for herself. 1. She spends most of her teens and early 20s busting her behind to get ahead in the uber competitive rat race with her parents hopes and dreams on her back. 2. She is now 28 and somehow made it through it through the rat race. It finally seems like she can breathe and enjoy the fruits of her labor. Nope. Here come her parent's again now asking about marriage. She doesn't care, but she ends up caring because her parents care. Being filial and all that jazz. Well, it is more like her parents care what others will think of her and by extension them. 3. She finally breaks down and gets married. She just inherited 2.5 more people in the form of her in laws to place expectations on her. The 0.5 is because we don't know if husband going to be a supporting character or an antagonist in her life. All the while, people at her place of work are now giving her the side eye and mentally removing her from any possible promotion tracks because they know what comes next. 4. She now has 4 people on her back asking about babies. In addition to her work, her husband (depending on how modern or not modern he is), and her traditional responsibility to her in laws, they want to now add another person that she will ultimately be responsible for by default. 5. She has a baby and is being run ragged by everything. Even if she does find a way to make it work, it may not be up to the standards of her parents/in-laws and traditionalists will expect her to quit her job. Hell, her in laws and workplace itself may expect her to quit her job to dedicate herself to the family. Not that there is anything wrong with that. 6. If she quits, she is now dependent on her frog and/or prince. Sometimes you don't know which one you have until years down the road. Not once did I mention the financial climate nor was there any attention paid to what this woman wants for herself. Personally, I would be asking myself why TF I busted my behind in school/university/work when I know my knowledge base will be out of date in less than 5 years after staying home to raise my child in that hypercompetitive setting. A lot of Korean women see this, know this, and have said mentally to themselves, GTFOH.

[@msunje9862]

@@TheVariedEdbangerwow wonderfully said

[@glengrant3884]

Great comments on this doco, thank you all for your contributions!💥👊

[@raquelmacdonald8572]

As a mother to one here in Canada, its happening here too! It makes absolutely no sense to have children with whats going on around the world and its only getting worse!! Most are on the brink of homelessness. Children arent even a thought.

[@Albion80s]

Blindly following Western economic and social development models, chasing after GDP growth to validate their hold on to power in a democratic system in disregard to all other social factors and costs has led numerous East Asian societies into this sad situation which needs an urgent review. China too has shown early signs of going down this path and it is encouraging to note that changes in government policies in recent years will likely reverse it.

[@deezeed2817]

Capitalism leads down this path no matter which country practices it. It alienates workers and they become a cog in the machine, Feeling disconnected and rather than think about travel or retirement they are lead down an lifelong path of paying off their mortgages, bills and other debts. This system is only designed to increase the wealth of the megarich but the average worker becomes increasingly dissatisfied and unhappy. Only the abolishment of capitalism will lead to the emancipation of the whole of mankind and the oppression that it brings.

[@orangesnake2256]

I know for sure this problem also exist in chi na. It's the reason why expensive western smartphones are so popular there. Apparently people look down on you if you don't buy the most expensive western brand😂

[@aidanknight1574]

I would not know what these policies are but considering how tight a grip the Chinese state holds over the economic lives of its citizens, purely ‘fiscal policies’ are likely to be inefficient. The Chinese Communist Party rallied the populace towards a “people’s war on Covid” but will never do the same for economic democracy and worker rights.

[@PhilCherry3]

Materialism is rampant in all the modern major countries & political systems. Contrary to the phrase uttered by the main character in the 1980s Hollywood classic “Wall Street” “GREED IS NOT GOOD!” In modern Communism, Socialism & Capitalism there are coordinated and calculated attempts to force multiple social classes below the Uber rich into varying degrees of perpetual servitude. I find it very interesting the ultra rich of many countries hang out in similar places, drive similar luxury vehicles, shop at the same kinds of exclusive retail establishments one live in the exact same super exclusive luxury properties around the globe. The weight of runaway greed is forcing more people in all societies to forgo having children as an ultimate defense against being dragged down to even lower economic levels than they are already struggling to maintain. Globally, humankind has ensured its own extinction!

[@Jtrisna]

The problem is not democracy or communism countries. People’s to greedy period

[@jeffreyjackson5229]

Read carefully: the average person, regardless of the nation, will not be able to completely retire or retire at all. The economy will not permit it. I saw this at least 25 years ago by simply looking at the cost of living then compared to how it was when I was younger. The only way retirement is possible, I mean not work at all, you would have to share accommodations and pool your money. Otherwise, forget it.

[@eric2394]

Good thing I paid off my home

[@edwinjoy3932]

Modernization and Westernization are two different things. You can achieve modernization without adapting Westernization. But countries like Japan and South Korea adapted (or imposed) modernization and Westernization. Collapse of nationhood by surrendering to US interests now leading to collapse of society.

[@adamsaciid4919]

What about china?china also facing this issue

[@lifeinguangdong5844]

⁠@@adamsaciid4919that’s kinda the point. This whole thing is about development and obviously the education of women. When women get educated and have more options birth rates drop. When cities, education, housing, food and multiple things explode in price birth rates plummet. It has everything to do with modernization and development and it Asia it’s worse than a lot of western countries. Aside from Singapore most of developed asia doesnt seem to keen on increasing immigration. So this is the result.

[@greenmachatea]

@@lifeinguangdong5844lol. Do you have any data to back up that education is the cause for low birth rates? Doesn’t it contradict therefore what the documentary is talking about? The video is saying 2.1 is birth rate needed. If women are educated as you say, they will work on this number. So your statement isn’t all true that this is due to education. Other factors are at play.

[@loelds4817]

China is experiencing the exact same thing, but at just one third the gdp per capita of south korea and japan. Its amazing how hell bent people are at bashing the west.

[@lucken13]

For 40 years I been around Korea and the society, first serving in the ROK with the U.S. Army in 83-84! I returned for my 2nd tour (87-90)! The 1988 Olympics opened the world up to the ROK, since then it has rapidly grown financially, faster then the population could adapt to it! I just retired here in the states in rural Illinois and we have decided to stay here since so much cheaper then the ROK and U.S. metro areas!

[@maxdc988]

Free market capitalism is ruthless and those societies have become too materialistic to the detriment of the well-being of the common people.

[@goldengirl1212]

this is the same issue in singapore. as a working mother, it is tough, to have to work full time, be a mother full time and be a housewife full time, and a wife full time. perhaps, you should look at the men's role in all this, and their refusal to pull their weight in the household. their inability to change their mindset and help out more equally in the household plays a huge part in women's decision to stay unmarried and / or have no kids. and i said this way earlier in the program before the end, to heard from the men getting interview that perhaps what i am saying could be the root cause.

[@tytytyty5659]

Your husband is a man child through and through

[@gregtaylor9806]

Your husband not wanting to do the dishes is not the cause of demographic collapse.

[@churblefurbles]

Any policy aimed at women is proven not to raise fertility rates, its been studied.

[@churblefurbles]

Simply a look at the fertility of wealthy women undermines your argument. Kpop stars least fertile, especially the ones that can afford servants. Women who cannot even cook complaining about men's housework.

[@rafflesxyz4800]

Marry a loving, caring husband then it's no problem then!

[@45876]

This is happening in every metropolitan city regardless of culture differences. This is the classic example of the mouse utopian experiment. I read it about it many years ago, and there weren’t a lot of major metropolitan cities around the world at the time when the experiment took place. Nowadays, the experiment seems truly reflecting what our society will be in the future. This could be the end of us if there is no intervention.

[@cuda260]

your comment basically sums up a million others and should have just as many 'likes'... basically the (developed) world has sealed its own destruction by the way it lives

[@andrewlim9345]

Fair and balanced look into the issues facing South Korea including ageing and high living costs.

[@DanielHYNg]

As we are living longer, there need to be a shift and change in how we do and see things before this. It's not only a Korean issue but a problem around and it's so prominent especialy in the developed countries.

[@shiner8375]

Living longer healthy is not a burden as much as an obese 30 year old who already has pre-diabetes.

[@jr-yn4lk]

All the countries experiencing declines in birth rates are those that allow women to work. Islamic countries face no issues in maintaining birth rates.

[@Alternatives_Universum]

The government should give a four room apartment for free to every couple that gets two children. Problem solved.

[@archieascent4748]

I sincerely wish they figure out a solution, coz Imagine having survived a war and working your way up to become one of the developed nations only to be non existent in another couple of decades. A lot has to change, the bullying, the constant pressure to outperform, the cost of living crisis,

[@TikkyTakMoo]

One day, the world will gain the courage needed to employ its visionaries and this will be something of the past we laugh about. For now, it is timid and ruled by fear of uncertainty -- obsessed with superficial aspects of life.

[@orangesnake2256]

You're absolutely right. Being fearful and timid to the point where you prioritise children below having a high status is a mental issue.

[@TikkyTakMoo]

Great segment, good job CGTN 👍

[@TheDysartes]

I think most countries are facing similar issues, though some have it worse than others.

[@jr-yn4lk]

All the countries experiencing declines in birth rates are those that allow women to work. Islamic countries face no issues in maintaining birth rates.

[@oao685]

The lonely elderly people towards the end made me feel sad💔💔💔

[@antonfernando8409]

Specially when she said, doll is like a real person. In intense loneliness and isolation, you begin to feel the life substance in things, even a rock, a table, a chair becomes alive, may be she has sensed that in the doll. Us normal people too busy even to notice the life substance in another living being, so for us, it's a just a doll.

[@sct4040]

She is better off with a cat, they can reciprocate and give love.

[@K-Yune]

This video really did its homework. We live in Korea and it is very concerning in all areas that this mentioned. I am originally from America while my husband is a native Korean and we have made our home in Korea. The cost of housing it is REDICULOUS here in Korea. The down-payments to get into places are anywhere from $30,000 - $900,000. Finding anything under that means you are out in the countryside far away from jobs, hospitals, and schools. We live in a small town in Korea in a "low income" small (much smaller than shown on this video) 2 bedroom apartment and it was a $300,000 deposit to RENT it. It is then about $800 a month in rent and utilities which I know is cheaper than America buuuuut there isn't the gigantic deposit either. Raising children is also extremely competitive costing a ton for private education. Because of this we chose to only have one child of our own and if in the future we can adopt within Korea we would love to. However, realistically there needs to be better incentives for couples looking to have children. The new paternity leave is awesome but given to so few that it has made much of a difference. The 4 friends of mine including myself couldn't get paternity leave even after the laws were passed. For women it is near impossible to hold a job until your children are at least in grade school and even then still challenging. Whenever a kid is sick they are sent home, now thanks to COVID that means an entire week. Most employers are not going to give you past 2 days so many women, myself included, are constantly turned down in interviews simply because they have children. I have had employers tell me this directly when I was applying for jobs and I lost 2 jobs because of having to take time off when our son got sick from daycare viruses. Unless you have grandparents that can babysit at a moments notice then forget about working full time. It is still widely normal for women to stop working once they become pregnant and most don't return until the children are old enough to stay home on their own with a cold. With all this being said, I have high hopes for Korea as it continues to overcome obstacles and challenges time and time again. They are a strong people and as long as they keep pulling together I believe that Korea can find a way to bend these issues to their benefit. As I am currently studying for my citizenship exam I am shocked by all that Korea has overcome in its history. Though I will never be Korean by blood ... though we did make a little Korean ;) ... I am glad to call this country my home. I hope things change soon for the future generations and the lonely elderly here now.

[@yachi4702]

I hope I am not crossing the line, but why not come back to America? Companies cannot discriminate due to you having a child, they aren't even allowed to ask. There are quite a few work-from-home and hybrid jobs. $300,000 deposit there will buy you a home outright in many cities in America. I just don't understand why you would stay there and struggle like that. America has problems, but at least we have EOE and govt safety nets.

[@absyahwa7698]

She is native korean ofcourse she is going to back home sometimes in ​her life @@yachi4702

[@misterhill5598]

A combination of Capitalism and Democracy is fatal to family in many country, not just in South Korea.

[@_aiborie]

Good to see social welfare programs for the elderly in S.Korea. Can't help but to feel for those solitary seniors with the Hyodol, their kids are probably too busy with their lives to visit or their immediate relatives being far away. Such is life

[@banzaaiiiii]

It has gone according all too the plan, it's called urbanisation.

[@sgthomas98]

This made me sad

[@JOYJOY-hk2oc]

They may be receiving $300 a month on social security benefits.

[@cameroncunningham204]

The irony of prosperity is that eventually the society will die because of it

[@leafgreengc-art]

I think the main problem is, after getting to a status where south korea developed very fast, they started to build up their societal values not on civilians and the at least "having a standard life with being able to build family" of the people in south korea back then, but : putting forward to be a country that builds itself up on materialistic goods such as electronic devices and the name "samsung" and fast money-making through "kpop culture". If they instead would have put more emphasis on making it possible to have the opportunity for a standard life with the promise of having a family, it would have been better. But every country has its downsides and good sides as we can see in todays world.

[@jr-yn4lk]

The problem is women are working instead of having children. Leave women at home, and the decline of birth rate will be fixed naturally

[@ARGaminoPrin2]

Many women from Mexico move to Canada because of the femicide danger and sometimes they don't see that Real Estate goes incredibly up and Depression due to less sunshine hours hit hard.

[@virgiliustancu9293]

The modern capitalism is concentrate the wealth to a small percentage of people. The distribution of surplus value has been turned upside down and capital earns several times more than labor. The money ends up in investment funds that buy properties to preserve the value and produce an increase in housing prices. There is a lot of money but there is no balance in its distribution and this creates all the problems of the modern and developed capitalist society.

[@virgiliustancu9293]

@somerandomperson1503 I live in capitalism and I lived also in communism. I know both regimes with good and bad. Both states have the same problem but for different reasons. I don't say that communism is better. The difference is that the capitalism regime have the money to solve the problem but the people who lead the country don't want to solve it because they see themselves like an elite and normal people are cockroaches who must work and obey.

[@the80386]

@somerandomperson1503 korea's communist neighbor is also concentrating wealth to their elite class as a 'reward mechanism' to maintain control. in other words, it's not practising communism as intended. the issue is exacerbated due to north Korea being forced under sanction / embargo / blockade etc by USA and her subordinates for decades, significantly degrading their ability to conduct trade with other countries and increasing their total wealth.

[@KeepWalkingNeverStop]

I am in no position to judge other people on their choices and I accept that everyone should live their life as they wish. With that being said, it makes me really sad to hear about people wanting to delay having children for so long. My heart goes out to the kids who will be 25 years old when their parents will be 70. What kind of life can someone that's born in this expect? Their parents are getting old and need to be taken care of and/or are less mobile and communicative than before, depriving their kid of the chance to experience fun things with them and create fond memories. At a time when they should be enjoying their lives, just like their parents are doing right now, the future generation may be locked into caring for the current one at the expense of their youth. Perhaps it would be better to just not have any children when people get past a certain age? I say all this as one of my friends was born when his mom was 45 and dad 52. We both turned 30 this year and both my parents are alive, while both of his are already dead. And I am aware old age is not the only mortality factor out there, but it sure increases the likelihood of death by a lot. Just because you have the ability to create life doesn't always mean you should.

[@tatututuuu3515]

Everyone should have the choice to choose when to have children. I got born when my parents were already over 40 and just because you have older parents doesn't mean you don't get to experience fun things?? And many old people don't have to get nursed so there is no guarantee that they have to "sacrifice" their youth for it like you said. Also you still have family and care workers that will help you if thats the case. My parents may be dead earlier than my friends but this doesn't mean I am not thankful for them and wish that i wouldn't be born. Also people choose to have children when they are older because they want to be ready mentally and financially. And I'm gonna proclaim this bold theory that kids have a better time growing up when their parents don't have money issues and are mentally prepared.

[@okosalaska]

@@tatututuuu3515 You are right in everything you wrote. 🌷🌷

[@kap849]

My mum was 44 when I was born (I'm the 7th born though). She passed on this year at 75. I spent the last year or so of her life taking care of her. As much as it was sometimes draining, taking care of my mum (in my early 30s) is probably one of the most fulfilling things I have done in my life. Ps: You did make a valid point and personally I wouldn't want to hold off on having kids until my 40s.

[@hilarygibson3150]

​@tatututuuu3515 Quite. My mum was 40 when she had me, after several miscarriages, I was a surprise baby. It never bothered me that my parents were older. Yes they both died before I was 30, but like just about anything, there are pluses and minuses to that.

[@paulbucklebuckle4921]

As an older parent I agree.

[@juyotoken4639]

All the people here feeling sorry for the old folks. Why? Honestly, society like this one most likely called it upon themselves. The old lady with the robot: „people at the welfare center can’t be my friends“ Why not? Because they’re probably on social ladder under you ? Because they’re not doctors or lawyers? God forbid if they’re foreigners on top. Where are her kids? Alone that taxi driver in 22:46 „by the looks of your style you’re unmarried . You’re unmarried . What does that say about your capability?“. And what does it says about yours? Your capability of being a decent human being?! Old folks in Korea treat young people like worthless trash, unless they meet their skyhigh expectations, demanding respect at the same time and wonder what went wrong ,when they end up alone when they’re old. It makes my blood boil!

[@TatjanaMur]

I think you are mixing “friends” with “close friends”. A close friendship needs not only time, but opportunities to develop and build trust. Unless you like to overshare and trust blindly (and risk being burned heavily), then it is indeed super hard to build close friendships when meeting 1 or 2 per week with constantly changing people. Easy to judge, right?

[@barbararios246]

I am 51 y/0 American and chose not to have children. It is very difficult to raise a good human being in this world.

[@richardscathouse]

Plenty of abondend pets also need help 😢

[@wildorchids3657]

No wonder this country has a high rate of suicides. My country maybe poor compared to South Korea but my country's citizens are very happy people and still look after our eldery at home. South Koreans people may live a long life but...what's the point of living a long life if you don't have anybody to live with. I feel sorry for these people who have robots as companion...very humiliating.

[@TatjanaMur]

Humiliating is when you have no money to pay for your child’s education or medical care for your parents, because you live in a country without such supportive systems. Having a robot as a companion is not humiliating, in my perception. It is actually very cool when elders try to adapt to new circumstances by embracing new technologies.

[@LemonBee1]

i don't want kids because the world is sh*tty and I don't want my kids to experience what I experienced. in some point of my life I blamed my parent why they brought me in this sh*tty life where I need to be responsible to survive yep I think that the reason for many others 😃

[@김승억-w4d]

South Korea is just hell for working class people like me. So, I am living my lives while giving up on marriage and having children.

[@oliverjames9234]

It's similar in canada, I will retire in a country where cost of living is low

[@havencat9337]

at least its safe at night, some and live in London. young kids gangs with knifes, defecation on streets and weed smell all over... you should come and see, but not central London tourist places.

[@김승억-w4d]

@@havencat9337 You shouldn't compare it to the UK. Street safety is not an issue in South Korea. The South Korean government could be a criminal group that has no fairness or morality toward workers. No human being in the world commits suicide because they cannot play at night. The fundamental reason why they choose to commit suicide is due to unfairness, fraud, and manipulation by the South Korean government and related organizations.

[@One-12937]

@@havencat9337”defecation on streets” hey, don’t put me on blast like that.

[@jose131991]

@@One-12937😂😂😂😂 EXPOSED

[@Larimerst]

At some level, a dearth of children suggests an absence of hope for the future. It's strange that in an environment of astonishing affluence hope should be so scarce. If the costs of affluence are so high that people can't be bothered, can't afford, or otherwise can't imagine to hope for the future is that affluence in fact real wealth? No children = no future.

[@richardscathouse]

Exactly

[@allenmaa7064]

Excellent analysis.

[@pacershark452]

I've been reading about this for a while now and did some reaseach. It seems that everything about this issue comes down to MONEY & CULTURE.

[@leovolont]

I have some insight into Koreans. I was there in the Peace Corps teaching them English, and then I went back again wearing a US ArMY Uniform. I can understand why Koreans wouldn't want to have children. Koreans are the hardest most conscientious Workers in the World, and that is a tough life. Why would they bring that on their own children. They were alive and so they owed it to their own Survival Imperative to try to thrive, but they would have seen Life under such conditions for their children to be a Curse, and so they stoically refrained from propagating... perpetuating this Life of Suffering. Thumbs up for such a Head Trip.

[@AnnieT369]

It's not the rapid economic growth that caused the problems in Korea. It's capitalism.

[@arik2216]

The root of capitalism is the greed of consumerism or materialistc society.

[@susiex6669]

Not just capitalism, UNFETTERED capitalism. Regulated capitalism, with checks and balances, isnt the problem.

[@jw841]

I think the word you are looking for is Corporatism.

[@adamsaciid4919]

So what the solution??communism

[@janicewolk6492]

No. It is educated women.

[@Pennychaser1]

Im korean american. Moved to states when I was 12 in 1992. The way I see it. Western influence brought them economic success but at a huge cost. Life in the US was hard but I'm sure it is much harder in Korea or any other asian countries. I grew up in the country, in a farm and one time I went to Seoul was to get to the only international airport to take the flight to US. Back in 80's and 90s there was strong bond among family. I remember in the the town I grew up in we always had gatherings. We all knew our neighbors. You meet a stranger and they all felt like distant cousins. That is all gone now. Very sad. Westernization is destroying everything in its path

[@DavidAKZ]

Westernisation destroying families and identifies.

[@Lawrence-sk2os]

“Westernization is destroying everything in its path.” What a bunch of b.s. Typical Oriental playing the victim and blaming the West for everything. Why don’t you move back to South Korea or emigrate to North Korea? South Korea has the highest rate of unhappiness for all O.E.D.C. countries. Get over it!!! There are countries with much worse problems. Oh, and instead of saying “states” which is just weird, why don’t you say the correct name of the country? Show some damn respect! United States of America.

[@Freigeist2008]

Please dont call it Westernization. Its Left-Liberalism

[@DavidAKZ]

@Freigeist2008 good point. thanks.

[@PhilCherry3]

@@Freigeist2008 “Left Liberalism?” That’s hogwash and you just completely told on yourself! The worst robber barons in the U.S. right now are wealthy Republican businessmen who jack up prices & create/maintain economic exploitation everywhere they can! They yearn for the “Good Old Days” before child labor laws, civil rights, worker protections, fair housing safeguards, you name it! Economic exploitation is at the core of their DNA! They are the ones destroying life for the average people in the United States. Their equally greedy & exploitative counterparts around the globe are producing similar results!😡. It is this same cruel, selfish, callously depraved class of people who have caused the greatest global loss of human life for the past 250 years!😡

[@abccba1971]

No wonder !! Living in South Korea is almost as depressing as living in North Korea. Work,work, work.. Work to live. Live to work. Life with no sense to it.

[@BodyByBenSLC]

3:00 you care what other people think about the brands you wear. You can at any moment choose to not care about that.

[@nunyabidness117]

Why wasn't this dubbed instead of subtitled? Many people listen while driving instead of watching.

[@keyboarddancers7751]

A similar acute existential threat is facing Japan, china and Singapore albeit for a variety of different reasons. However, virtually ALL developed industrialised economies are following a downward demographic trajectory.

[@trfgshdtg4577]

this will happen worldwide

[@johndoe225]

I live in korea since 2014 and younger generation has become ultra selfish, focused on material things, yolo lifestyle. Traveling and fashion brands are priority for many and they aren’t really bothered planning for the future. Concept of self love is highly encouraged which means they have a generation of self absorbed immature people not capable of truly caring for another person. Also…most couples i know here, they break up as soon as the first problem appers. Only in good times together…

[@LW78321]

Interesting insights

[@xinqu5]

I think it's true in all countries,

[@akay3787]

I’m sick of people like you who don’t know what pressures these young people go through from the minute that they can speak as a child. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve lived there, you have not truly experienced being raised in a culture and you sound like a typical boomer calling young people spoiled. This is the whole ‘millennials buy too many avocado toasts and that’s why they can’t buy a house’ silliness again

[@churblefurbles]

@@akay3787 Both the boomer and the young vote for their country last policies, Its fine, darwin is filtering them out.

[@johndoe225]

@akay3787 I'm not old. Second you sound like an immature kid who can't control emotions. 3rd... yes many young Koreans are very selfish and spoiled. Everyone is a Princess. FACTS don't care about your feelings, kid

[@musterlustre1060]

Wouldn’t it be ironic if South Korea keeps building itself up economically, just to get overcome by North Korea though its population.

[@monsieurlepresident8835]

This reportage is very interesting and eye-opening since you always hear big media outlets mainly in the West brag about how South Korea is successful.

[@bibibuu6646]

It's also so dramatic in Japan or even worse.

[@jr-yn4lk]

There’s no point in accumulating wealth if the population is going extinct in a few decades due to declining birth rates, lol.

[@kaydkaydkayd]

that doll segment was so sad :( i honestly don’t even think it’s safe to leave that diabetic woman alone w the way her hands were shaking

[@Ufu4847]

Doesn’t China have the same problem?

[@bayjustin3885]

Worse 😂

[@directxxxx71]

The healthy fertility rate is 2.1 births per woman China's fertility rate is 1.705 births per woman S.Korea's fertility rate is .8 birth per woman

[@wildearth3992]

@@directxxxx71false it’s 1.2 lower than Japan at 1.5 but higher than Taiwan at 1.1

[@disappearintothesea]

Yes. China, Japan, Italy, etc…

[@Dddd-ko2xn]

Many parents in China and South Korea had lots of selective abortions in the 80s and 90s to only raise their sons. The result of less women is apparently less next generation children.

[@guslevy3506]

If South Korean society is on the “brink”…what word describes the North Korean society? I’m asking for a friend…

[@zach214able]

I'm from South Korea. The main causes of low birth rate include the economic and emotional burden of raising children, gender inequality in the family, uncertainty about children's educational environment and future, and the social pressure of competitiveness and excessive showing off in Korean society. Korea's long working hours culture is pointed out as one of the main causes of low birth rate. Koreans spend more time in paid work than workers in most OECD countries. At 47.8 hours per week for men and 45.2 hours per week for women, Korea has the longest average weekly working hours in the OECD. The OECD average full-time working hours is 43.1 hours for men and 40.3 hours for women. In terms of annual working hours, Korea ranks second after Mexico with over 2,000 hours. In Korea, there is a well-established paid parental leave system that can be used by both men and women. In particular, the period of paid parental leave available for men is somewhat higher than the OECD country average. The question is whether a good system is actually being used. Looking at the actual paid parental leave payment rate, Korea is lower than other OECD countries. Slovenia, which has the highest payment rate, has 90%, Iceland, Poland, and Luxembourg have 70%, and Japan has 60%, while Korea has only about 30%. The reality in Korea is that you cannot take parental leave with peace of mind because you are worried about whether or not you will have a job after parental leave. especially, It was found that high private education costs also affect the birth rate. Approximately 31% of married Korean women aged 15 to 49 cited the burden of education costs as the main reason for not planning to have children. In fact, the higher education expenses borne by Korean parents as a percentage of GDP ranked 4th among OECD member countries, following Chile, the United Kingdom, and Australia. This means that the financial burden on parents to send their children to college is quite large. In addition, high housing costs are also one of the factors that discourage women from giving birth. In fact, a survey of OECD member countries found that a 1% increase in housing spending lowers the birth rate per woman to about 0.014. Korea is no exception, where the dream of owning a home is far away. Thank you for loving Korea so far.

[@Bigboss-xe6lm]

Yes. This. Bring down working hours to 1500-1600 and you would see way better numbers. Also being able to work only one in every houshold would give a big incentive to have a family. They made it work in the 50s. Why not now

[@freeworld88888]

in china is the same, shanghai, beijing and most big cities in eastern costa area, so expensives and stressful. the cities lives are moving too fast.

[@ex0duzz]

Luckily China is massive and those few expensive/advanced cities only make up like 5-10% of Chinese population or not even. And china can and is doing something about it. Like in Chinese politics, big companies like Alibaba, ten cent, Huawei etc have zero say, billionaires have zero say in politics or policy making. While in Korea, Samsung makes up like 1/3 of their economy by itself and the CEO has more power then the president and can buy politicians or buy and write their own policies. In China they will be forced to do what is good for the country, even if it is not the best for them personally as a corporation. China is also less judgemental and less superficial when it comes to flaunting wealth or looks. In fact the gov will go after any celebs or influencers who show off and flaunt their wealth or status or power. China knows this is not something to promote and not a good direction for the country. They force billionaires and rich corporations to actually do good for the country, otherwise they will not be successful, and can even be destroyed overnight. So those companies and society in general must work for the sake of the country, and help the poor rise up. Sure, china has its problems too but at least they are trying to do the right thing and work for the people, not for rich corporations or billionaires. China is still learning, and like the guy in the video said, if you thought Koreas development was fast and unmatched in history, Chinas is even bigger and faster, and on a scale that no one can ever fathom. China is like 20 south Koreas, not just economically but geographically. To develop infrastructure and lift 850+ million from extreme poverty and build such insane infrastructure over the size of a country which is more like a continent is immensely difficult. Its never been done before and never will be repeated. And to do it all while being contained by usa, while sk, Japan, Taiwan etc had massive support from USA and West. China had to do it all in spite of USA and west. Just compare with India and you can see how successful China has been. And this is just the start. India has zero domestic tech and can never challenge usa or west, and they can be crippled or destroyed anytime by usa and west sanctions or tech bans. India knows this too which is why even though they joined quad, they also joined brics, sco, and they never vote or do any real actions that are against China when it matters. Like they never co ordinate or vote with USA/West when it counts, like at the UN and for stuff like xinjiang, hk, Taiwan, or even Tibet even though they have border dispute with China which a big part of resolves around and involves the Chinese/tibetan/Indian border.

[@orangesnake2256]

Thankfully this episode reveals the chinese elites are aware of the problem. Otherwise this video wouldn't exist. So the first and most crucial step has been taken. Being aware and giving recognition to the problem. The next steps can gradually be worked on, I'm confident about this and it gives me hope.

[@turtlesoup8134]

@@ex0duzz Agree with most of what you said. China is a fully sovereign country and can do as it please to serve its interest without having to bow or restricted by others. Every developed country is facing this rot and among those, China is probably one of the few that actually have a better chance to structure a new sustainable society. The real problem that every one faces is the scourge of western capitalism + individualism. Western capitalism does not reward childbearing as it sought to treat everyone as capital or labor. You get rewarded for either capital ownership or labor. Since you don't own your child, you can never count your child as your labor as in ancient times. All our output are channeled to the most capable and shrewd capitalist or in some cases, the government in order to get rewarded. In the past, your child is yours and their output is partially yours as well, therefore their investment can be worthwhile. Many countries know this and realize that their labor is shrinking and this is unsustainable, so they try to mitigate this by introducing minor reward for childbearing to reduce the lost. In most cases this is far to few compared to the potential reward lost from work and the amount needed to raise a child. The capitalist economic system is not designed to support child rearing, its too painful for the family and the gov financially. Individualism makes the matter even worse. Child rearing is not only limited to the scarcity of resource or potential reward. In many cases there are many individual in developed societies that are very well off and can definitely rear multiple child, but they chose not to. This is individualism that rot our society. Everything is about me and the materialism that i can enjoy. They are rich and they can cover retirement easily, but rearing a child takes away their precious time and "enjoyment" in life. They have the choice to live like a king, why be a slave to your child that will just give more grief to them eventually? We are thought to think like a productive machine in school for the capitalist, but who can teach us about how to be a good parents? Our parent? most parents aren't qualified to teach their children since they are so bad themselves. Our capitalist forced us to learn how to be a good laborer, but do they care about us being a good parents? Should parenting and family value be thought as a core school subject? Should we teach people the joy of having children? Should we teach people how to be a responsible living person? In biology, we were thought that one of the definition of life, is to reproduce. Many of us cease to be alive because we see that we no longer need to reproduce. The task at hand for China to not fall into this cultural rot introduce by the west is to overhaul its education system and eventually the society and economy. It is a gigantic task that frankly, I don't know if it is possible at all before we go extinct. The west conquered not just our land but our minds and thought us to celebrate selfishness whenever possible while using us a s a machine for the selfish and barbaric capitalist elite. This system is made to exploit unlimited resources from new land and spoils of war, but what if there are no new land to exploit, and no wars to fight? Yes, we see the implosion of the western structured societies. Its time to change the fundamentals and get rid of western ideologies, philosophy and culture from our society. Make a new sustainable society not based on greed and selfishness, but one based in altruism and the good of many and for the sake of humanity.

[@Darknova591]

​@@ex0duzzyou made a great points but these trolls won't listen.

[@Darknova591]

​@@ex0duzz did you really think that 😐.

[@Odinoian]

So true. A developing nation experiencing such a quick modernization is not healthy. I also think the world in general is developing too fast. We lose touch, we're not able to socially adapt, and our focus become materialistic. Elderly clinging to robot dolls is just not right. Most of this seems like a dream scenario for corporations however. The world is also supposedly experiencing overpopulation. Perhaps growth in the future is to be scaled back and focusing on quality of quantity

[@prolikereal2]

20.22 the old lady is lonely despite having kids. Who likely are too busy to visit her or stay together

[@earnthis1]

Is it shocking to anyone that in a patriarchal society mothers are not supported, and fathers are not held to a higher standard?? Shocked face!

[@Dddd-ko2xn]

The technology and economy have developed so much that now, to raise a child into a capable worker, three adults are needed to support them, or a husband and wife must work together outside and share house chores. However, traditional role expectations still demand that married women be “supermoms” (working outside while also doing all the chores and child-rearing), which has led many women to say, “Lol, I’m out.”

[@tabithan2978]

People should build co-housing communities to restore human connections and empathy. We’ve become too isolated and lonely.

[@jackwilliams3343]

Move to a farm in the country and you might think kids are not an expense but a treasure

[@minaryeon9259]

What do you expect these educated people to do? Farming?

[@carolel4025]

Remote work so that people can move out of cities works well for many people

[@Dddd-ko2xn]

Ppl who endured 12 yrs of competitive studies don’t want to become a farmer

[@shizuokaBLUES]

Same thing here in Japan. You made a tough, stressful pressurized society. Now it’s sexless, and most people repressed, and anxious. Well done East Asia.

[@James-sn5mg]

Yap. Asian culture is just like how you described. They make every individual into like robots who always obey, listen, do something wrong and gets severe punishment. This kind of society breed people with fear and anxiety. That's why most Asian go overseas and get their asses kicked all the time. Their parents made them soft weaklings that don't fight back because of the fear of getting into trouble. Sad but true. It's how most Asians are raised. In a country like the US, where aggressiveness is the key to success, they don't last.

[@JOYJOY-hk2oc]

Nah. Japan is still 1,000% better than South Korea. You mean "depressed" not "repressed. Koreans even want to find their jobs in Japan. Those Japanese who have lived in South Korea, none, literally nobody speaks well of it.

[@theallseeingeye9388]

The pay for your labour has been devalued in the name of being competitive and generating profits. We went from raising a family comfortably with a single income to the point that its no longer viable for a couple with two incomes and a part time gig to reproduce. There is no job security, no permanent positions, the constant need to learn uearn and relearn on top of your 9 to 5 slog just so you stay relevent in case you loose your current job. So much for being developed.

[@jm7578]

America also went through the time of extreme over infatuation with brands, wealth, lifestyles, and I believe that we’re starting to see a trend of people becoming more realistic, I hope South Korea will wake up

[@emmanueldidier7586]

There are many things that can be done to encourage people to have children, financial incentives like tax breaks or even moneys distributed to families based on the numbers of children, tax breaks. Strong rest laws for the week ends for example, minimum size for apartments, etc

[@Upgrayedddd]

I hear this all the time but incentives for some are penalties for others. Who do you think will work on those weekends? Everyone should have time off to do as they please whether they have children or not. That's not the case for all jobs and if free time is a priority, the responsibility to choose the right job for you is yours alone. Who do you think will pay for the tax breaks or the redistribution of wealth? Obamacare only benefitted single-parent families that I know of and it was paid for by slapping a fine on the poorest people without children who couldn't afford it yet paid so others could. If you give it away, you have to take it from someone.

[@suanne1217]

There’re much more problems than solutions in every society. However, as many analysts stated, everyone needs to participate in changing the way of thinking move towards the right path. All the issues are no longer part of growing pains.

[@YenHa-ch5vz]

I cried so hard when I saw the elderly with the doll. IT IS SO SAD.

[@joeandcoffee]

A significant decline of birth rate doesn't only occur in South Korea. I live in a country where the prices have inflated for the past few years. This factor may be one of the reasons some people don't want to get married or even have children (for married couple). Even if they do have a child, they will only birth one child without having to commit to give birth to second child.

[@payalmishra4603]

It would be less of an exaggeration to say that it is always better to lie somewhere in between; too much of anything is just bad. Being the best may invite accolades and a pat on the back but it hits you hard when you cannot handle the pressure of being the best. The pursuit of being the best is what keeps us going and hopeful for life. I am from India. We are not the best in a number of things but are making efforts to be. I am not complaining anymore.

[@tomarmstrong1281]

The situation might be more evident in South Korea but it is a problem universal in almost all industrialised societies. We should look to those societies which have found more sustainable family/work balances. Objectively it comes down to how economic resources and rewards are allocated. If family life with children and relatives is higher on the scale of values than the lastest and greatest new and shiny object, and giving is regarded more important than taking these problems would dissapear. Who needs an income of $1.000.000 a year and social isolation, for and as a perfect life?

[@NotSoEntertaining.]

Maybe if they treated their women with respect, they’d be willing to get married and have children. 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@wamnicho]

In the end, everybody including women suffer the consequences of not having children like the old childless women shown in this video

[@xenuburger7924]

The birth rate is 4x higher in DPRK, so all is not lost.

[@blueamenaa749]

No it's also under 2. It's down everywhere on the planet. Life is just too hard.

[@H1776-b5j]

DPRK fertility rate is 1.82

[@alexcastillo1384]

Well this happens when one corporation runs the entire government and people

[@roberta9833]

This is not just a South Korean problem. Greetings from Italy 🇮🇹… useful documentary for us here too. 👋😊

[@Newlinjim]

In America we have a growing homeless population of seniors. We have a growing population of drug addicted citizens. We have 26 yr olds on their parent’s medical plan due to unaffordability. We have student loan debt that cannot be repaid with the wages the degree generates. We have priced out homeownership for 1st time buyers. We have a 50% divorce rate of married couples. All of these issues are the result of debt based capitalism borrowing from the future to fund the present.

[@miavos3610]

Until the education culture of Korea changes, no one in their right mind would want more than one child. After school children attend 3 up to 5 academies for extra-curricular activities or to complement their school studies. All these academies charge a lot of money per month and parents feel compelled to enroll their kid(s) because of social pressure. Competition is fierce. There is very little time for relaxation. Parents work, grandparents raise the child(ren).

[@Dddd-ko2xn]

Yeah, and the result of all that hard work doesn’t guarantee success in this era of low GDP growth. Many young people think that not being born at all might be the best fate.

[@kwailcamp]

They have managed to create a society than mainly values those in the age group 20 to 40. The ageism is real too...

[@frederiquecouture3924]

Merci beaucoup pour votre vidéo.

[@ellenmerkle940]

Is it any different outside of the densely populated areas, such as the countryside?

[@arthurwatts1680]

So refreshing to see stores where people aren't stealing stock and assaulting the staff. That sense of order was even more impressive when I visited Tokyo a few years back.

[@einarsigurdsson3701]

I feel like the birth rate in South Korea will increase in a few decades again after the population has decreased .South Korea has an insanely large population and high density so the demand for housing and space is very high. Government and society at large should also do more to support people having more children

[@SpencerKraisler]

I disagree that it’s too expensive to raise a child. We saw with the couple they lived in a pretty spacious apartment. The restaurant owner was also, after all, a restaurant owner. I think the main issue is the loss of an extended family structure. Parents can raise a child very easily with little money if they have aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents to help raise the child. But I think the family structure was destroyed with the rapid urbanization, where the only family you have is your parents and maybe 1 sibling. It takes a village to raise a child, as they say.

[@jeromehenry4484]

So you are expecting people that are in their 50's & 60's to give up their jobs/career to work for free as babysitters? Yet you also want a mysterious "social program" to take care of your aging parents when they are no longer physically able to provide free labor for you & your brood? Look at how many elderly parents are shoved off to nursing homes by their adult children, or simply abandoned/no longer visited. Doesn't sound like a fair trade-off.

[@K-Yune]

Yes and no. To the it take a village to raise a child and the family structure of extended family reducing this is partially true. However, it tends to be more to do moving families with children up to Seoul for the best high schools and colleges while the grandparents and other family members live elsewhere. As for the cost of housing it is REDICULOUS here in Korea and raising children is also extremely competitive costing a ton for private education. Parents practically work just to pay for the kids and nothing much else. Even the people in this video is very well to do compared to the general population and who knows how much debt they are in. All of our friends had taken out $10,000+ loans just to pay off the deposits on their apartments. Korea is pricey to say the least

[@SpencerKraisler]

@@K-Yune Why not send your kids in public education? I went to public schools and loved it, turned out very fine. Also: free. Also, why even move to Seoul in the first place? Just stay rural, live a good life with friends and family

[@dashboardkid21]

So they're telling you why and you're negating their lived experience...

[@skitakaujou]

한국인의 욕심 때문이지. 전후 급격한 부의 차이에 사회의 인식이 못따라 가는거지. 경제는 발전했으나 아직 서구보다 정신이 안착이 안되었음.