Why would korea give the impression that people are unhappy?
This seems to be the result of some video work. Whether it's an oscar-winning movie, "the worm," or a skeptical crime film like "the spectrum", or a world-blasting korean drama like "the dark glory of the squid," it seems that korean films are always indissociable from their social ills, such as the struggle of the bottom people, the endless inner circle, the inaction of public power..
This is why koreans are obsessed with the zealous and vengeful dramas。
In reality, almost no one can carry out the perfect revenge as in dark glory. ♪ the dark glory ♪
But reality is always cruel, and according to the study global happiness 2023, published by the well-known polling agency leipso, south korea ranked 31st out of 32 countries in 2022, only above hungary。
Only 57 per cent of koreans consider themselves “very happy” or “very happy”, while the rest say “not very happy” or “not at all happy”. This ratio was at the same level as in 2021, with a marked decline of 62 per cent compared to 10 years ago and well below the average of 73 per cent for those 32 countries。
It is known that the survey is designed according to five aspects of general well-being: meaning of life, control of life, mental health and well-being, social and living conditions。
Of these, only 34 per cent of koreans felt “lifeful” and 39 per cent felt “material wealth”, both of which were at the bottom。
01 meaning collapse
For sense of meaning, in highly competitive countries, most people find it difficult to make class leaps and are therefore accustomed to relying on grand narratives to convince themselves。
But this may not work in korea, because koreans are precisely the most disappointed in their country。
Of the 30 issues investigated by impso, koreans are most dissatisfied with their own country. Only 21 per cent were satisfied with the korean economy and 23 per cent with the country's socio-political situation, well below the 40 per cent average。
The recent economic situation in the republic of korea had been affected by a decline in exports。
According to the ministry of industrial and commercial resources, south korean exports declined by 7. 5 per cent in february of this year, for five consecutive months, with trade showing a deficit for 12 consecutive months. On the most critical chip, the republic of korea's february chip exports dropped significantly by 42. 5 per cent。
Container loading dock at busan port, korea. (chart source: social media)
At present, the central bank of korea, the korea institute of economic research and the international monetary fund (imf) have all revised their economic growth expectations downwards from 1. 5 to 1. 7 per cent this year. But for the recent south koreans, the fall in this number is not much real, and is far less chilling than president yoon seok’s statement to japan。
As recently as march this year, the korean government released its latest resolution on the issue of labour compensation for forced recruitment of koreans by japan during the second world war, triggering a collective public protest. The republic of korea finally decided that the consortium of the korean ministry of administrative security would come forward to compensate the victims and their families for the japanese enterprise。
Yoon seong-hye has marked himself as an attempt to open a new chapter in japanese-korean relations, but this act has been denounced by koreans as “historical and humiliating diplomacy”。
As a result, a survey published by the polling agency gallup, korea, on 17 december, showed that the south korean population's rating of good governance in yoon seong-jo fell slightly to 33 per cent, and the rating of bad results rose slightly to 60 per cent。
The country’s economy is weak and political diplomacy is not satisfactory, and many koreans feel particularly proud of it。
On his visit to japan, president yoon seong-ha of the republic of korea went to the flag side by side with japanese prime minister kishida. (chart source: social media)
One of the intuitive manifestations of a sense of collapse is that young people do not work or have children。
According to data released by the korea statistical office on 20 march, the number of young people aged 15 to 29 who chose “rest” in the non-economically active population reached 500,000 in february of this year, the largest since the beginning of statistics in january 2003。
In this statistics, “rests” are different from preparation for employment, advancement and waiting for military service, but simply do not want to work, which is tantamount to a real “stamping”。
More than anything else, according to data released by the korea statistical office on 22 february, the fertility rate in korea fell to 0. 78, again updating the global minimum fertility record maintained by korea in 2022。
It is worth mentioning that it was unexpectedly found in the whipso survey that koreans were most satisfied with their relationship with their children and spouses. Although below average, 78 per cent of koreans are satisfied with their children and 73 per cent with their spouses。
02 illness and inequality
Leaving aside the sense of meaning of the superstructure, the economic base of koreans may be the very reason for their unhappiness。
Overall, the average income of koreans is actually not low and continues to rise。
According to data published by the central bank of korea, affected by factors such as the devaluation of the korean won, in 2022 the per capita gross national income of korea increased by 4. 3 per cent to 42,203,000 won (approximately 222,000 yuan), equivalent to approximately 185,000 yuan a month。
However, in the face of housing prices in seoul, this is not enough。
Over the past five years, korean house prices have risen by 80 per cent overall. Data from the korean national bank (kb) show that the average residential price in seoul amounts to 1. 24 billion won (about rmb 6. 52 million), one of the highest housing prices in the world。
This means that koreans can buy a house in seoul without eating or drinking for nearly 29 years。
Who lives in seoul's basement if they have a choice
Koreans suffer not only from widowhood but also from inequality. Korea's video works do not exaggerate with the hand-eyes of the financiers and the poor in the basements, such as “pathies”。
According to information submitted by the korea state tax office to the korean congress on 21 march, the annual income of 0. 1 per cent of the country's combined income upstream in 2021 was 1,400 times that of its 20 per cent downstream income. There are 9,399 people in the 0. 1% upstream group with an average annual income of 3,333. 17 million won (approximately rmb 1. 753 million) and a total income of 10. 4% of the total korean population。
For the 20 per cent of the income downstream, there are approximately 1. 86 million people whose average annual income is 2. 38 million won (approximately 125,000 yuan)。
In korea, the gini coefficient of net property, which measures the gap between rich and poor, was also the highest in nearly 10 years in 2022. This indicator usually uses more than 0. 4 as a warning line for the disproportionately large gap between rich and poor, while the data for korea are 0. 606。
In addition, income inequality in korea is also reflected in gender。
According to the korea statistical office, the average monthly income of korean men in 2021 was 3. 89 million won (approximately 20,500 yuan), an increase of 4. 7 per cent over the previous year. Women accounted for 2. 56 million won (approximately 13,500 yuan), an increase of 3. 7 per cent over the previous year。
This means that in 2021 korean women earned only 65. 8 per cent of their monthly earnings as men. The gender wage gap in korea has been the highest in 26 consecutive years in 39 oecd countries。
