한국과 일본의 은둔형 외톨이 은둔생활 비교 연구

A Comparative Study on the Hermit Life of Hikkomori in South Korea and Japan

(Purpose) Many of the social problems that occur in Japan will also repeat in South Korea. The hermit-type loner (Hikikomori) problem that this study focuses on is also a social problem that Japan faced 20 years ago. It is now becoming a social issue in South Korea as well. (Design/methodology/approach) Focusing on the current status of the use of communication devices, including the Internet, it is the purpose of this study to find out how these technological tools affect the living patterns of Hikkomori in South Korea and Japan and determine how hermit-type loner tendencies are prevalent. (Findings) According to the study, Hikikomori in Japan isolate themselves in small rooms, spending time playing video games, reading comic books, and watching TV. (Research implications or Originality) The solitary hermits comprised mainly of youth, in South Korea hid in small rooms to escape the challenging reality of life. These young people could not adapt to the competitive social atmosphere of South Korean society. The Hikkomori who appeared in South Korean society after the early 2000s are the generation who have been living with Internet technology since childhood. This group socializes through two-way communication platforms. These individuals do not talk to their families and have no friends to meet in person because they have difficulty with face-to-face social interactions. However, South Korean Hikkomori are different from Japanese Hikikomori in that they utilize various SNS to connect to society by communicating with each other. If an alternative is proposed considering the habits of Hikomori in Korea, it is necessary to revitalize the SNS community where Hikomori can freely enter and exit. Instead of creating numerous categories, it is necessary to simplify the SNS community so that it is simple and easy to understand.