The Rise of Network Buzzwords
In East Asia, the situation of the new generation is being vividly presented through a series of network buzzwords. China has terms like "abandoned - project kids," "full-time children," "four - part youth," "lying flat," and "NEET." South Korea has the "three - abandonment era," "five - abandonment era," "seven - abandonment era," and "geographical overrun" as a term for social despair. Japan has negative labels such as "NEETs" and "hikikomori," referring to those who are detached from education, employment, and social systems.
High Education, Low Employment, and Lost Confidence
A common phenomenon is spreading across East Asia. Young people with high education are struggling to find stable jobs. Salary growth has stagnated, and housing prices have soared. The saying "hard work doesn't necessarily lead to success, but not working hard will definitely lead to failure," which was once the encouragement of East Asian parents to their children and the life creed of the previous generation, no longer holds true for the youth in the 2020s.
Unemployment and Underemployment
In 2023, the National Bureau of Statistics of China announced that the unemployment rate of 16 - 24-year-old youth was as high as 21.3%, and this data was suspended in August of the same year, causing an uproar. According to a joint study by scholars from Tsinghua University and Peking University, the combined proportion of actual unemployment and underemployment (including temporary workers and unpaid internships) may be close to 40%. In 2024, the number of college graduates in China exceeded 11.79 million, a record high.
South Korea's situation is also worrying. In 2022, the unemployment rate of 15 - 29-year-old youth in South Korea was 9.6%, much higher than the overall unemployment rate. Even when employed, most of these young people are concentrated in low-paying and insecure positions. A study by Seoul National University shows that more than 40% of the interviewed young people believe that even if they work hard, it is difficult to improve their economic situation, reflecting the narrowing of social mobility channels.
Disparity between Education and Income
In the past, as long as one got into college, a decent job was almost guaranteed. Now, college students have become the main force in the fierce competition. In 2023, the average starting salary of undergraduates in China was only 6050 yuan, which is not only far lower than the basic living costs in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, but also lower than the income of many food delivery workers and online car-hailing drivers. In Taiwan, according to the data of the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics in 2023, the average monthly salary of college graduates was 33,000 New Taiwan dollars. Considering inflation, salaries have almost stopped growing for 20 years, while the housing price index has increased by more than 52% during the same period.
The Housing Dilemma
In traditional East Asian societies, getting married and starting a career are symbols of adulthood and responsibility, and buying a house is almost equivalent to having a stable life. However, for today's East Asian youth, this goal symbolizing stability and dignity is rapidly turning from reality into a mirage.
High Housing Prices and Low Affordability
According to the 2023 Global Housing Affordability Report, major East Asian cities almost dominate the top ten in the global housing price-to-income ratio. Shanghai ranks first with a ratio of 46.6 times, meaning that a median-income family needs nearly 46 years to buy a house without eating or drinking. Beijing is 45.8 times, Hong Kong is 44.9 times, Seoul is 30.8 times, and Taipei is 29 times.
In China, buying a house has long gone beyond the simple issue of living and is bound up with multiple life events such as marriage, childbirth, and education. An 87% of young people think that they must have a house before getting married. In South Korea, the average apartment price in Seoul in 2022 was 1.2 billion won (about 28 million New Taiwan dollars), while the average annual income of 20 - 39-year-old youth was only 38 million won, with a housing price-to-income ratio of 31.5 times. In Taiwan, young people are facing the dual pressure of high education, low income, and high housing prices, low down-payment ability.
The Decline of Marriage and Fertility
The housing problem has become one of the important factors leading to the decline in the fertility rate. In the past, in East Asian cultures, falling in love, getting married, and having children were the natural processes of life and the cornerstones of social stability and family continuation. But today, more and more young people choose to skip these.
The "Four - No" Youth in China
In China, some young people are described as "four - no youth": no love, no marriage, no house purchase, no children. According to a 2022 survey by the Guangzhou Communist Youth League, the proportion of young people with these four characteristics has exceeded 12%.
The "Abandonment" Eras in South Korea
In South Korea, the concept of the "three - abandonment era" (giving up love, marriage, and childbirth) was proposed as early as a decade ago, and with the increase of social pressure, it has extended to the "five - abandonment era" (adding giving up interpersonal relationships and assets) and the "seven - abandonment era" (adding giving up dreams and health). In 2022, the number of marriage registrations in South Korea was 192,000, the lowest since 1970, and the average age of women's first marriage has been postponed to 31.1 years.
Low Fertility Rates in East Asia
According to 2023 World Bank data, the total fertility rates of major East Asian economies are all below the replacement level. South Korea is 0.72, the lowest in the world; Taiwan is 0.87; Japan is 1.26; Hong Kong is 0.77; and the official figure in mainland China in 2023 is 1.01, with private estimates possibly even lower.
The Failure of the Education Myth
"Knowledge changes destiny, and the poor can rise through education" was once the hope of countless East Asian families. However, contemporary young people are increasingly aware that effort may not necessarily bring rewards, and birth often matters more than how hard one struggles.
The Influence of Family Background on Education
The "China Education Finance Family Survey Report 2021" by the China Institute of Education Finance Science at Peking University analyzed the differences in family education expenditure levels, structures, and economic burdens in urban and rural areas and cities at different development levels across the country, pointing out that family background has a significant impact on educational opportunities. In Taiwan, a study by the Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences of Academia Sinica also shows that family background has a significant impact on educational opportunities, and students from families with higher social and economic status are more likely to enter resource-rich universities and obtain higher salaries and professional prestige.
The Structural Imbalance of Education
In the past, entering a prestigious school was equivalent to getting a pass to the upper class. But today, the education systems in East Asian societies are increasingly showing a structural imbalance of high input and low output. In China, in 2023, the number of college graduates reached 11.79 million, and the number of postgraduate admissions also exceeded 1.4 million, far exceeding the absorption capacity of industries. In South Korea, the pressure of the college entrance examination and tutoring expenses remain high, but it is difficult to get equal returns.
The Rise of the Gig Economy
As fixed jobs no longer guarantee stability and lifetime employment has become a thing of the past, more and more East Asian young people are making a living by doing odd jobs. The gig economy has expanded rapidly, but in East Asia, it is more like a systemic concession.
The Scale of the Gig Economy
According to data released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China in 2023, the number of people engaged in flexible employment in the country has exceeded 200 million, a large proportion of whom are under 35 years old. In South Korea, as of August 2024, among 20 - 29-year-old wage earners, the number of temporary workers reached 1.461 million, accounting for 43.1%, a record high. In Taiwan, 23.4% of 20 - 29-year-old youth said they were working two or more jobs.
The Problems of the Gig Economy
Although these jobs seem free, they are highly dependent on platform algorithms and scoring systems, with long working hours, high pressure, and no security. Platforms do not recognize them as formal employees, so they do not provide social security such as medical insurance, pension, and work-related injury insurance, nor can they apply for provident funds or housing loans.
The Disconnection between Work and a Sense of Value
In traditional societies, work is the main way for people to connect with society and realize self-worth. But for contemporary gig youth, work is more like a survival - oriented mechanical task.
The Psychological Impact of Gig Work
When work cannot bring stability, social recognition, and future expectations, young people will gradually become alienated from the system, leading to existential emptiness and social withdrawal. This is the psychological root of Japan's NEETs and China's "lying flat" and "social phobia" youth.
The Generation Gap and Cultural Tear
Contemporary East Asian young people live in a set of rules defined by the previous generation, but this set of rules has long been invalid. There is a huge cognitive gap between the two generations, which often leads to emotional estrangement.
Different Views between Generations
For many middle-aged and elderly people, the difficulties of young people are often interpreted as not working hard enough, having poor stress resistance, and being too playful. In the eyes of young people, their parents are "standing and talking without pain" and do not understand how difficult society is now.
The Expression of Youth Emotions
The emotions that cannot be expressed are finally vented in network culture. Words like "involution," "lying flat," "slacking off," and "social phobia" have become the language and attitude of an entire generation. These words are not just buzzwords but also a collective language of self-healing.
The Commercialization of Youth Resistance
Interestingly, these seemingly rebellious languages and attitudes have also been quickly absorbed and packaged by the commercial system. Products related to "lying flat" and "social phobia" are selling well on e-commerce platforms, reflecting how capital turns resistance into new consumption power.
The Isolation of Youth
In Japan, the proportion of "SNEP" (isolated and unemployed youth) in the 20 - 39-year-old group is close to 6%. In China, the phenomenon of "full-time children" is also becoming a social focus. These young people go home to rely on their parents, choosing to withdraw from the workplace and social competition. This is not only a personal choice but also a reflection of social problems. The situation of East Asian youth is not only a problem for a generation but also a crisis sign for the entire society. If the channels for upward mobility are blocked and the belief in education and hard work collapses, society will face not only the disappointment of young people but also the possible imbalance of the overall order.