On the surface South Korea is one of the most remarkable countries anyone has ever seen, transforming from being poorer than most African nations to being one of the richest countries in the world in less than 50 years. The Invisible Hand podcast: Something Terrible is Happening in South Korea, Youtube 2025
There’s a darker side to South Korea’s rapid rise, one that’s pushing the nation toward a dystopian reality. ibid.
In 2020 South Korea witnessed 500 deaths from a strange new phenomenon, so strange in fact that it developed its own term – Gwarosa – or death by overwork. At the heart of this toxic culture are a handful of powerful companies. ibid.
Koreans are either going to universe or they are quietly giving up on life, or in many cases – both. ibid.