Most Korean men in their 50s and 60s spent their adult lives imprisoned in the office and now suffer from psychological and social isolation in retirement.
According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of men in late middle age or older who received treatment for depression and anxiety increased 16 percent between 2017 and 2021 to reach 192,636.
The main reasons were social isolation and loneliness. The number of men in their 50s and 60s who live alone after divorce or the death of their spouse also increased from 855,290 to 1.16 million over the period.
HIRAS said many of them spent their working life in a patriarchal structure and feel alienated in their family when they suddenly spend most of their time at home.
Local authorities and community centers offer a variety of programs to help retired men with depression and prevent them from turning to domestic violence, gambling or suicide.
Koh Sung-kyu (60) retired from a state-run company last month and started taking cooking classes at the district office of Nowon in northeastern Seoul. “I signed up for the classes because I felt that my wife and I could end up growing further apart if I lounged around at home all the time,” he said. “I cook for my family every Thursday evening and my wife really likes it. I think my family has become closer and happier as a result.”
Lee Young-soo (69) from Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, retired in 2019 after heading the Korean branch of a foreign company. His life changed when he joined a choir after retirement. “After focusing solely on work for the past 30 years, I found a new hobby and met new friends, which have become invaluable in my life,” he said.
Lee Yoon-sup (53), who used to work as a salesman for a foreign company, found a new job in a small business but was fired less than a year. It drove him close to despair, but he found a lifeline in a program for retirees where he met up with other men who have similar experiences.
Seok Jae-eun at Hallym University said, “After losing their jobs, which accounted for a major part of their lives, middle-aged men find their identities shaken. It’s important to reassure them of the value to society by encouraging them to take part in various activities.”
