In South Korea, a YouTuber named Seen Aromi has found joy and triumph in supporting a life that opposes the country’s dangerously low population. Despite the president’s significant investments in urging marriage and procreation, Seen, who is 37 years old, practices yoga, enjoys a versatile sleep schedule, and inspires her large YouTube following to accept singlehood without shame or guilt.
” No getting married is my greatest achievement”, Seen told AFP, emphasizing that she never considered becoming a “good” wife or mother as her history’s greatest purpose. She criticized the notion that women never having kids in South Korea is a “disaster”, referring to the country’s looming demographic crisis, which boasts the country’s lowest birth rate and a fast aging people. For Seen, the potential drawbacks of not having children are minimal.
Seen’s book,” I Can’t Help but Live Well On My Own,” celebrates the joy she found in embracing solo lifestyle and embracing societal expectations, has become a surprising bestseller in South Korea. It quickly dominated a big bestseller list, and it was well-known not only with another one people in their 30s but also with older generations, including those who had gone through divorce or widowhood. Seen eagerly spoke of the freedom to be as stupid as she wanted without fear of being criticized in her book, stating that” some people choose not to marry because they enjoy being alone, while others choose not to satisfy anyone because they enjoy lying about.”
According to experts, several younger Koreans are deciding against getting married and raising their children because of economic factors like sluggish growth, exorbitant home prices in Seoul, and brutal job competition. But, broader social issues even play a role, as the country remains politically conservative, with single parenthood being stigmatized, same- sex marriage never recognized, and married women generally leaving the workforce, spending 3.5 times more hours per day on household chores and childcare than their male counterparts.
For Seen, letting go of the classic South Asian markers of success – a Seoul apartment, a higher- paying job, and a loving spouse – has allowed her to find true happiness. She has never worked for a large corporation, lived in the city, or been married.
After living abroad for years, working various jobs, and sharing her life experiences online, she returned to South Korea and settled in a rural town, renovating her late grandfather’s old family house. She now earns five times more money from her previous monthly salary in Seoul from her YouTube channel, which has grown in popularity and has over 200, 000 subscribers. This makes her life much more independent and fulfilling.
Despite the backlash she has faced online, with critics claiming she must be lonely or labeling her as” selfish” for not getting married, Seen remains steadfast in her belief that her happiness should be respected, just as married people’s happiness is rarely criticized. Although she has had a number of successful relationships, she places her independence and adventurous lifestyle above starting a family.
