"Is There a Place Accepting 35-Year-Olds Who Took a Long Break?"... Youth Choosing 'Retreat' Over Employment

YouTube 'Ssireal' Channel Features Reclusive Youths
"Reasons Include Social Conflicts and Job Search Failures"

'People who chose seclusion instead of employment.' A video revealing the reasons why so-called 'eundunhyeong cheongnyeon' (reclusive youth) withdrew from society is gaining attention. The video features five young people who have been socially isolated and unemployed for over five years, expressing their desire to break free from isolation, saying they do not feel they are living a 'full life.'

[Photo by YouTube channel 'Cereal']

The YouTube channel ‘Cereal’ recently posted a video titled 'Are You Living a Full Life?' featuring interviews with young people who have been living in seclusion without employment for more than five years. Proving the saying that 'the reasons for isolation are as diverse as the number of rooms in the world,' their reasons for withdrawing were varied.

A (28) said that conflicts with his graduate school advisor triggered his seclusion. He said, "I dropped out of graduate school and even went through a legal battle, which broke me. I locked myself in my room. Except when I had to go to the bathroom or eat, I kept the lights off and just lay down in my room."

B (30) said, "Outwardly, I was a public service exam candidate preparing for the civil service exam, but in reality, I spent my time lying in bed watching Instagram and YouTube." He confessed, "Many of my college classmates went to large companies, so I thought I would naturally go too, but I failed. I said it wasn’t that I couldn’t go but that I didn’t want to, and that I would do a stable civil servant job. That itself was avoidance."

C (37), who revealed that he has been unemployed for 11 years, said, "I didn’t consider myself a job seeker," and mainly "played games, watched internet broadcasts, and read comics." He said he didn’t go outside due to rapidly increased weight, but later, he avoided returning to society because he was afraid to explain the gap period.

[Photo by YouTube channel 'Cereal']

D (31) started working immediately after graduating high school but resigned after two years and has experienced an 11-year employment gap. He said, "I tried to do any job I could, like factory part-time work, but I was fired because I couldn’t do the work," revealing that negative evaluations and reactions at work became a trauma.

E (33) said that seclusion began as a result of aftereffects from sexual violence. He said, "I feel like a parasite. I have a strong sense of guilt for consuming my parents’ refrigerator," but also said, "I’m scared of the moment in interviews when I’m asked why I haven’t worked. I think if I honestly explain the reason, they won’t hire me."

Yoo Seung-gyu, CEO of the support organization for reclusive youth 'Anmuseoun Hoesa,' said, "People often say these kids are lazy, spoiled, wasting time in their rooms, and sucking their parents dry. But no one chooses to live like that." He pointed out, "There is a tendency to get used to seclusion, but ultimately, they want to escape." He urged, "It’s necessary to realize that overcoming this situation alone is difficult. Ask for help from acquaintances or institutions."

In fact, C, who appeared in the video, said he escaped 11 years of seclusion with the help of a friend. He said, "I deeply reflected on how I gave in to small fears and didn’t muster courage despite having several chances to change my life." B and D also said they are now working with courage. E, who said he felt trapped in a tunnel that collapsed during his isolation, said, "Anyone can feel like a tunnel has collapsed in their life. When that happens, don’t give up and ask for help around you."

As of the afternoon of the day, the video has recorded 240,000 views and over 1,500 comments.

[Photo by YouTube channel 'Cereal']

Netizens who watched the video commented, "I support you," "It’s a structural problem of society as a whole," and "In our country, there is a strong perception that at this age you must do certain things and have certain achievements. It’s hard to break away from that, and even if you do, there is a great fear that you can never return."

Meanwhile, according to the ‘2023 Survey on Isolated and Reclusive Youth’ conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare last year, it is estimated that 540,000 isolated and reclusive youth nationwide account for 5% of the total youth population.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.