Nearly Half of 100 Surveyed Citizens Say Holiday Nagging Stresses Them Out

In a survey of 100 people at Seoul Station two days before Chuseok, 49 said holiday nagging is a source of stress. Every holiday season, they are bombarded with questions and comparisons ranging from unemployment to buying a home, and online has even seen the emergence of a 'nagging menu' that prices individual jabs at 200,000 to 500,000 won apiece. We take a look at what today's holiday culture, where family gatherings have become a burden, really tells us.

The reasons for feeling pressured varied from person to person. Kim Ji-eun of Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, said, "When they keep asking what grades I'm getting and how school is going, it feels stressful." Jo So-young of Yongsan District, Seoul, said, "They worry if I eat a lot, and they worry if I eat little." Topics of nagging ranged from studies and dating to looks.

But not every remark was perceived as nagging. Choi Min-kyung of Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, said, "Rather than nagging, it felt more like concern." Min Jae-hong of Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, said, "Since I'm doing my best, whatever they say is out of my control, so I'm fine with it."

Some called for considering the other person's situation first. Jeon Young-mi of Osan, Gyeonggi Province, pointed out, "People have their own thoughts based on their individual circumstances and environments, so shouldn't we avoid nagging that comes across as forcing something on them?" The same words, in other words, can land differently depending on how they are delivered.