Social Connection And Happiness

The Korean secular press's coverage of the World Happiness Report provided readers with insights into countries around the world and the levels of happiness they experienced. Korea ranked very high in the number of deaths from despair—suicides. 

Eating with others was a positive aspect that promoted happiness and connection. Family bonds and size were crucial to one's happiness. 

Social connection improves the happiness level of young adults. Social behavior reduces the number of deaths from despair. Trusting others, helping others, and being kind do a great deal towards overcoming unhappiness. 

Korea ranks 2nd in the world for deaths of despair. The conclusions of the UN's 'World Happiness Report 2025', released in March, suggest that the world is a kind and pro-social place. 

Many countries saw an increase in social isolation and deaths of despair due to alcohol, drug addiction, and suicide. 

This report showed that sharing meals with others is a factor in life satisfaction. Korea was a country with a high frequency of eating alone. In particular, the average number of times a week that people ate dinner with someone was under two times, ranking 135th out of 142 countries. Even including lunch, people shared meals only 4.3 times a week.

Eating alone and loneliness are directly linked. In the group that answered, they shared meals more than 12 times a week, only 1% reported feeling lonely the previous day. However, in the group that answered they ate alone all week, the percentage jumped to 38%. The report stated that “the number of times you share a meal is as strong an indicator of ‘quality of life’ as income or unemployment rate,” and that regardless of age, gender, country, or culture, people who eat with others showed higher life satisfaction.

The research team also noted the finding that “countries with more kind behaviors have fewer deaths due to despair.” According to the report, the percentage of people who answered that they had “performed prosocial behaviors such as helping strangers, donating, or volunteering in the past month” increased from an average of 63% in 2017–2019 to 70% in 2022–2024. On the other hand, the number of deaths of despair decreased in 75% of the 59 countries surveyed from 2000 to 2019.

However, Korea showed a different movement here. Among the remaining 16 countries, the country with the most significant increase in deaths of despair was the United States, with an average increase of 1.3 deaths per 100,000 people per year, followed by Korea and Slovakia in second and third place. 

The research team focused on comparing the United States and Korea with Finland, which has been ranked the “happiest country in the world” for eight years. Both Korea and the United States had high numbers of deaths of despair and a steep increase. On the other hand, Finland’s number of deaths of despair itself was similar to Korea’s, but showed a downward trend of about 0.9 deaths per 100,000 people.

The critical difference was that prosocial behavior decreased in the United States and Korea, but increased in Finland. 

Socializing plays a key role in making people feel less lonely and abandoned, and it creates an inclusive society where help is readily available. Consequently, prosocial behavior plays a key role in preventing unhappiness and suicides. 

Korea has implemented suicide prevention strategies,  such as pesticide restrictions, emergency room follow-ups, and media safety guidelines, successfully reducing suicide rates among older adults. However, since 2017, youth suicides have increased, which means serious gaps remain in the present policy. Suicide prevention continues to be a challenge for society, and the need for all of us to be messengers of hope to the world.