A Nation Under Strain: Majority of Koreans Suffer Prolonged Emotional Distress (Image supported by ChatGPT)
SEOUL, May 7 (Korea Bizwire) — More than half of South Korean adults are experiencing prolonged emotional distress, with widespread perceptions of unfairness fueling rising levels of societal resentment and mental health strain, according to a nationwide survey released by Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Public Health.
The study, conducted in April 2025 and involving 1,500 adults nationwide, found that 54.9% of respondents were in a state of long-term resentment, while 12.8% reported acute and serious levels of unresolved anger. This phenomenon, researchers noted, strongly correlates with individuals’ perceptions of fairness in society.
A striking 69.5% of those surveyed said they believe the world is fundamentally unfair, and those with lower beliefs in fairness were significantly more likely to suffer from heightened resentment.
Only 11.4% of respondents described their mental well-being as “good,” while nearly 48.1% said it was “poor.” Among the causes, 37% cited a hypercompetitive, performance-driven culture, followed by 22.3% who blamed society’s overemphasis on external validation.
Resentment levels also showed disparities across age and income groups. While 17.4% of people in their 30s reported severe resentment, the figure was only 9.5% among those over 60. Income played a major role as well: 21.1% of those earning under ₩2 million per month reported intense resentment, compared to just 5.4% among those earning over ₩10 million.
More than half of South Korean adults are experiencing prolonged emotional distress, with widespread perceptions of unfairness fueling rising levels of societal resentment and mental health strain. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Notably, 47.1% of respondents said they had experienced stress over the past year severe enough to impact their health, with the figure rising to 55.4% among those in their 40s. Those in lower-income brackets reported the highest stress levels. Key sources of stress included health issues (42.5%) and changes in financial status (39.5%).
Nearly one in four said they had faced a mental health crisis serious enough to impair daily responsibilities. Among them, 51.3% had contemplated suicide, and 13% had made an attempt. Alarmingly, 60.6% of those who experienced a crisis said they did not seek help, citing fear of stigma and societal judgment.
When asked how they typically cope with stress, 39.2% said they turn to family or friends, while 38.1% said they endure it alone. Only 15.2% reported seeking help from professionals.
On life satisfaction, 34.3% said they were satisfied, while 25.6% expressed dissatisfaction. The remaining 40.1% described their life satisfaction as neutral.
Professor Yoo Myung-soon, who led the study, emphasized the urgent need for both medical and social interventions. “To protect mental health at the individual and collective level, we must strengthen social trust and stability,” she said. “Improving mental well-being requires more than therapy—it demands structural efforts across society.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
