Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Who's Your Daddy?]

Korea�s children are most unhappy in OECD nations

"The survey polled 6,410 students from fourth to 12th grade across the country."

"Of all the developed countries in the world, Korean children feel the least happy.

According to the survey, Korean students� subjective happiness index was 65.98 points, the lowest among OECD member countries and far below the OECD average of 100."

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2935776

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[ESL Milk "Everyday]

I don't doubt it.

If you're successful in school, then chances are your parents--probably your mom-- are micromanaging your entire existence, including who your friends are and how much time you can spend with them.

If you're in the middle, you're still being raised by institutions who basically ignore you and focus on the success stories. And then there's also the bullying, which is even more omnipresent because you're almost never home, and you have almost no alone time.

If you're at the bottom, chances are your homelife is hellish, and your school life is also obviously hard.

Then there's the beatings at school and home, the pressure, and the competition. If you do well, you do well at the expense of your classmates. There's the alcoholism in Korean culture, and the long hours and pressures from the boss that basically destroy the home life. There are parents who hate each other but won't get divorced out of shame, and make each other's lives hell. There's being treated as a status symbol or embarrassment in your mom's social circle.

The list goes on...

[hondaicivic]

[NohopeSeriously]

And there's the lack of communication between kids and parents.

[computermichael]

I'm glad to know that I can be a part of something bigger than myself!

[Savant]

Most spoiled children too, no doubt.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Kuros]

TUM, do you dispute the underlying findings, or just the Dave's responses?

[southernman]

Yeah it's not surprising.

Most rational Korean's you talk with all agree about the school system as being hell. We've probably all had that conversation with our students about how many subjects we took at school and how many hours a day we studied back home. Every student I've taught is openly envious about western students school hours and study routine when the subject has come up and been discussed.

I've still got students who contact me via txt around their birthdays and exam time. Some I haven't taught in well over a year. All they are wanting is reassurance and postive feedback, basically the stuff that they should be getting from their parents and/or current teachers.

[jack_b57]

I'm curious - Do kids have a choice in Korea? Say a kid's parents say it's cool for them to follow their dreams and live a less hellish school/hagwon life - will they turn out OK? Or as the Korean parents fear, will that doom them to a crappy life?

I just wonder how much of the stress is unavoidable vs how much of the stress is unnecessary.

[West Coast Tatterdemalion]

Of course they are not happy. They spend all their youth in school. Mommy and Daddy aren't ever there around because they ship them off to hagwons. Sad lives.

[Jane]

[Sticks]

And you wonder why freshman university level students have the emotional development of a 14 year old...

[Who's Your Daddy?]

I'm curious how unhappy the adults are here too. When I look at the faces on the subway, they sure seem sad.

Here's a related story:

"suicide is the No. 1 cause of death for Korean elementary, middle and high school students."


http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2934641

[TheUrbanMyth]