Gangnam has the most psychiatrists’ offices, “Money does not bring happiness or success”

Dr. Kim Jeong-il, a psychiatrist, said, “I happened to get a closer look from a psychiatric perspective into the strange and dangerous lives of Gangnam counseling my patients,” and explained the reason for publishing the latest collection of essays. Courtesy of Jisikgongjakso (Knowledge Factory)

A son strived to live up to his parents’ expectations but ended up hospitalized for schizophrenia. His mother, now scared of such a son, uses gatherings as an excuse to avoid visitations. A couple and their child came to the clinic claiming the child was bullied, but upon closer examination it turned out that she was the bully who harassed other students. Yet, the child and her parents only complained that what she had been through was unfair and had no regard for the suffering she caused others.

These are not stories from a TV drama. They are the hidden stories of Gangnam, Seoul, which appear in Gangnam Is a Huge Psychiatric Ward, a collection of essays by Dr. Kim Jeong-il, a psychiatrist. Kim has been running a psychiatric clinic and mental health center in the Gangnam area since 1995.

In a meeting with the press to announce the publication of his book in a restaurant in Jongno-gu, Seoul on September 4, Dr. Kim said, “Psychiatrists’ offices are opening in Gangnam at the fastest rate in this country,” and added, “Mental health is, in no way, proportional to money.” He explained that he published the book of essays with a somewhat provocative title because he got “a closer look from a psychiatric perspective into the strange and dangerous lives of Gangnam” when he counseled his patients.

The book candidly conveys the desires of people living in Gangnam, such as parents who only focus on academic achievements to pass down their wealth, a woman who said she wanted to commit suicide after getting her child into medical school, and a family divided over the inheritance of their parents’ estate. These people come to the clinic complaining of various symptoms including depression, insomnia, anxiety, drug addiction, and gambling addiction.

Dr. Kim believes too much emphasis on academic achievement could increase the likelihood of mental disorders in children. He said, “In the past, I have witnessed many rich people spend their excess money and time on ruining themselves and their children.” He continued and said, “In Gangnam, where lies and betrayal run rampant when it comes to money, even between friends, lovers and family, there are many people who sustain their lives in a state of loneliness rather than seek happiness.”

Dr. Kim Jeong-il claims that money is the fundamental reason behind a series of symptoms in our society, such as plastic surgery addiction, all sorts of gapjil (abusive behavior toward subordinates by people in power), and drug problems.

He argued, “In the blind pursuit of money and abandoning everything else for the success of their child, people have fostered self-centered and selfish emotions,” and said, “Depending on whether you have money, you can suffer from a sense of inferiority or feel intimidated, and this can lead to a delusion of grandeur.”

The psychiatrist believed that the South Korean society and not just Gangnam was suffering from pathological issues. He argued that a mental illness was also behind the string of random violence that occurred throughout the nation, such as the stabbing at Seohyeon Station in Bundang. He said, “Hikikomoris (people with severe social withdrawal) have phobias and delusions about society, and for them, it (random violence) is a form of excessive self-defense against those who attack them.”

Kim said, “Among the patients I’ve treated so far, 99% said that they did not trust other people,” and explained, “For our society to overcome this crisis, we need to restore a sense of community through human relationships. We need to train people on how to be considerate and how to empathize with others through community education and parent education.”