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The Documentary: Shifting Cultures: South Korea’s hope in hell

Terry from South Korea

28/01/2020 GMT

South Korea’s hope in hell

Shifting Cultures

BBC World Service - The Documentary, Shifting Cultures, South Korea’s hope in hell

The personal stories of students and young people struggling with the pressure to succeed

The personal stories of students and young people struggling with the pressure to succeed.

Academic expectations, job competition and financial pressures are forcing some young South Koreans to give up on relationships, marriage and kids. This phenomenon is known as the ‘sampo’ or ‘give up’ generation.

The daily struggle to succeed within a patriotic and competitive culture is a shared experience. The suicide rate in Korea is the second highest among developed countries.

In recent years, the quality of life reached such a low point, young people started referring to the country as, ‘hell Joseon’. While some maintain it is an exaggeration, others use the phrase to describe their difficult reality.

It is a sentiment older South Koreans have trouble accepting, considering the hardship their generation went through when rebuilding the economy after the Korean war, in the early 1950s. But despite the challenges, not all young Koreans are prepared to give up on traditional life stages.

ABC producer Mike Williams travels to South Korea to hear the unique personal stories of students and young people. They share their individual perspectives on Korea’s competitive character, how they endure expectations from their parents and why they have hope for the future.

(Photo: Terry is studying to be a civil servant. Credit: Mike Williams)

The Documentary: Shifting Cultures

We visit 4 societies in Asia and the Pacific where traditional cultures are under pressure

The lives of people across Asia and the Pacific are rapidly changing, traditional cultures are under pressure. In this series from The ABC in Australia we visit four very different societies where locals are learning to adapt.

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