About

Rules of the MZ Generation I was raised being hit, but I must not hit back. I was raised to obey, but I must not give orders. In terms of responsibility, I must be the scapegoat and the youngest at the same time. I must follow social order while simultaneously breaking it. Being humble is a loss; I must promote myself more. If you bend, you're a pushover, so keep your back straight. But if you get hit by elders, you must bow down. This person is right, that person is right—I must accept it all. No, even that is called complaining; they tell me to be 'Al-Jal-Ttak-Kkal-Sen' (do it well on my own). What does that even mean? 'Doing it well on your own' means something different to everyone. If I go left, someone tells me to go right. But if I just stand still, they call me pathetic. I feel like I'll die chasing my dreams, but if I live listening to adults, I'm living while dead. I thought inside the box, and they told me to think outside of it. I thought outside the box, and I was pushed out of the box. 'Do it yourself, but listen to everything I say.' 'Do your own PR, but throw away your self-esteem and bow.' 'Dream big, but you have to think about reality.' 'Live as yourself, but don't stand out and keep your spirit down.' 'Give it a try, but what if you fail?' 'Money isn't everything, but life will be hard without it.' Well, I understand what the adults are saying and I get it all, but it's also true that it's damn hard to keep up with the rhythm. 'Put in more effort.' Your pain is your fault and your problem alone. They say that's just how it is, and there are people who endured it, so if you have depression, it's because you alone are weak. Those who insist that what's abnormal is normal have become the majority, so normal has become abnormal. When those crying out for normalcy start acting normal, they tie them up and say, "They're the same generation." If you practice the absurdities you suffered, you become the leader. "I won't be like that." If you think that, you become the lone pushover. Politicians are more successful than scientists, so everyone has given up, wondering why truth matters. They cut my hair and regulated my speech and actions when I was young, then ask why I can't think for myself when I'm grown. To someone who grew up listening to others, being swayed by others, and becoming afraid of others, they say don't blame others. "Do you think you're the only one having a hard time?" No, everyone is having a hard time. "Do you think it wasn't like this in my day?" No, it was even harder for you. New Terms 'Resting' Youth: Refers to young people (ages 15-34) among the economically inactive population—neither employed nor unemployed in the National Statistical Office's survey—who responded that they "just rested" without a specific reason like childcare, housework, or illness. Cyber Wrecker: Refers to issue-based YouTubers who rush to any incident, accident, or controversy to create provocative content for views and profit. Named by analogy to private tow trucks (wreckers) that appear quickly at accident scenes. View-Count Supremacy: Focusing solely on inducing clicks through provocative editing and stitching together clips rather than uncovering the truth or protecting privacy. Fake News and Spreading Falsehoods: Spreading unverified content or applying malicious frames, causing severe suffering to the target. Private Sanctions and Blackmail: Causing serious social conflict by exploiting a person's weaknesses to extort money, demanding cash, or recklessly disclosing personal information. Current State of South Korean Society A state of complex transitional crisis where extreme low birth rates and an aging population overlap with 'anxiety, dissatisfaction, and distrust.' The internet is constantly divided, and if you say one thing wrong, it's very easy to bury someone socially. Controversy over reverse discrimination against men. Making a fuss over every little thing. Claims that 'Mom and Dad' are sexist terms (though it's hard to even call it a controversy). Debate over whether the song 'Dad, Cheer Up' is discriminatory. Opinions from some women that the military service period should be extended (even though they don't go themselves). The comment section was ruined by news that the number of marriages between Japanese women and Korean men increased by 40%, while marriages between Korean women and Japanese men fell by 40%. The following are comments from that section: Comment 1 Japanese Woman: Let's live happily together. Korean Woman: Try to make me happy. Comment 2 Korean Man: I'll do it for you. Japanese Woman: I'll do it for you too. Korean Woman: You do it. No, you do everything.