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By Yoon Ja-young
Obsessive fans of K-pop and those who hold a deep interest in another particular area tend to be happier than others, according to a recent study.
In a study introduced by the Korea Food Forum, a team led by professor Park Hyun-ju of the College of Nursing at Kangwon National University analyzed the mental health of college students.
The research team categorized college students into two groups: "otaku" and "non-otaku." "Otaku" is a Japanese term for those who are obsessively interested in certain things. A closely related term in Korea is "deokhu" and the activities of such people are called "deokjil." These people study or collect anything related with their obsession, which could be anything including celebrities, comics, animations, figurines, science fiction and games.
Such people previously faced negative prejudices and were seen as lacking social skills, but those perceptions have changed in recent years as they became actively engaged in online communication and offline gatherings such as fan clubs.
Among the students studied by the research team, 30 percent were categorized as otaku while 70 percent were not. They categorized participants by asking questions such as, "Have you ever neglected your regular duties due to pursuing your interests?" and "Do you have no regrets no matter how much money you have spent on pursuing your interests?" The 30-70 ratio between otaku and non-otaku is similar to a previous study in which 27 percent of the respondents identified themselves as "deokhu."
The research team then measured the level of happiness of each group. While the non-otaku group scored 40.21, the otaku group scored higher at 43.17.
"While Koreans' level of happiness ― measured in terms of per capita GDP, health and life expectancy ― is higher than the global average, the subjective level of happiness, evaluated by Koreans themselves, is low," Park notes. She especially pointed to the low happiness levels of young people in Korea. A 2019 survey shows that those in their 20s scored a 52.64 happiness level, which is far lower than the 59.24 of those in their 50s.
"Such activities can enhance one's happiness by making them concentrate and engage in something that interests them," Park said, also pointing to their low level of negative sentiments, such as anger or anxiety.
"Negative perceptions of 'deokjil' should be changed. They actually can contribute to the improved mental health of young people," she added.
The research was published in the Journal of the Korean Society of School Health.
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