신문2025.07.18-코리아타임 : Silent crisis: Half a million young Koreans live in isolation

A decade is enough time for major changes in a society. Media trends can come and go, and social trends can turn from a rumor to an inescapable reality.

Take the period between 2015 and 2024: during this time, Korea saw three presidential transitions, while moviegoers saw Star Wars go from a pop-culture treasure to a cautionary tale in just five films. But for Ahn, 33, who asked to be identified only by her surname, almost nothing changed.

“I barely went outside for nearly a decade,” Ahn told The Korea Times. “I could go places close to home, but couldn’t travel any further. I hardly spoke to anyone besides my mother.”