Korean Culture and History - Baseline Psychology behind Korean People

South Korea is a remarkable country known for its rich culture, robust economy, and innovative technology. Over the last few decades, the country has undergone a significant transformation, rising from the ashes of the Korean War to becoming one of the world's most developed and prosperous nations. Korea is also widely recognized for its pop culture, with K-pop music and dramas enjoyed by people all over the world.

The Impact of History on the Psychology of Korean People

However, less is known about the baseline psychology of Korean people, specifically how it has evolved over the last century, which encompasses three generations. The first 50 years were filled with hardship and suffering for Koreans. They were under imperial Japan's colonial rule, which took everything from them, including family members, for its military aggression. After gaining independence from Japan, Korea was divided into North and South, leading to a brutal war. While the ideological divide between the communist North and democratic South is often cited as the reason for the war, for ordinary people, the conflict resulted in extreme deprivation and war trauma, with Koreans killing each other. It is not hard to imagine how this would have affected the underlying psychology of Korean people, leaving a significant vacuum in their mental state, and forcing them to rebuild everything from scratch.

The Psychological Challenges of Rapid Economic Development

For the next 50 years, Korea experienced another extreme event: the most dramatic economic development pace the world had ever witnessed. From a poverty-stricken, war-torn country to a top-20 economic power in the world, the growth was staggering. However, this rapid development also brought about psychological challenges, as the physical growth did not necessarily match the mental growth of the country. Korea's society and Korean mental health can be seen as being in a state of puberty, experiencing emotional changes such as increased mood swings, anxiety, and stress. Despite the material growth, the country remains at the top of the list of suicide rates and social conflict indices, and at the bottom of the individual happiness index.

When considering Korean Culture, especially the baseline psychology of Koreans, it's important to take into account the country's tumultuous social and economic history over the last century. Korea's psychology is still in a state of development, which is reflected in its dynamic and fast-paced culture.