Many young people in South Korea never get out into society, get a job, or even leave their rooms. They are called home sitters, or hikikomori, a loanword from Japan where the phenomenon has been known for a long time.
– I was so depressed that I wanted to kill myself, says Keun-ho Park.
We do not know why the phenomenon is growing, but what is common to those affected is often depression and experiencing social pressure from society and family. Keun-ho Park stayed at home for five years, before he got a place at the “Not scary company”, which helps homebound people out into society.
In the video, Keun-ho Park tells how he got help to turn his life around.