Mar 20 • 01:26 UTC 🇰🇷 Korea Hankyoreh (KR)

The Fear of Being Abandoned... Stepping Out of a Small Room into the World

Min-cheol, a 20-something college student, grapples with social anxiety and fears about his future, often retreating to the comfort of his small room in his aunt's house.

Min-cheol, a college student in his twenties, struggles with severe social anxiety when interacting with new people, often feeling overwhelmed and uncomfortable in social situations. This distress leads him to avoid building connections with peers at university, choosing instead to escape home right after classes, which further compounds his feelings of isolation. His safe haven is his small room, where he feels a mix of safety and fear regarding his future, questioning whether life has value if he remains in this state a decade from now.

Living in his aunt's house since he was a child, Min-cheol has complex feelings towards his aunt and uncle, who raised him after his parents divorced when he was just over a year old. While he expresses gratitude for their efforts and the upbringing they provided, he simultaneously carries a burden of guilt for being a perceived source of trouble in their lives. Despite their attempts to treat him equally with their children, Min-cheol often feels a sense of emotional emptiness and nostalgia, which he seeks to alleviate in his solitary room away from familial interactions.

Min-cheol's story reflects not only the pressures faced by young adults navigating social and familial expectations but also highlights the broader societal issues of mental health and the loneliness that can persist in today's interconnected yet isolating world. His experience is a poignant reminder of the importance of understanding and addressing the emotional struggles of individuals who may be silently suffering in their personal environments while striving to engage with society at large.

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