Well-being in Western research is often conceptualized as an individual-centered construct, emphasizing personal happiness, life satisfaction, and subjective health. While these dimensions are widely studied, they may not fully capture the lived experiences and cultural values that shape well-being in non-Western contexts. In Korea, indigenous well-being concepts have evolved, rooted in traditional philosophy, social norms, and relational frameworks.


A central concept is Yangseng, meaning "nurturing life." Yangseng emphasizes holistic balance among body, mind, and nature, guiding seasonal lifestyle practices, dietary moderation, physical exercise, and emotional regulation. Unlike Western models that focus primarily on preventive health or psychological interventions, Yangseng integrates physical and mental cultivation with harmony in one's environment, offering a lifelong framework for flourishing.


Relational and community-oriented values are equally important. Jeong reflects deep emotional bonds and mutual care, while Hyo highlights intergenerational responsibility. These social ties enhance life satisfaction and resilience, underscoring the collectivist dimension of Korean well-being. Additionally, culturally specific mechanisms such as Han (collective sorrow) and Han-puri (its ritualized expression) illustrate how collective emotional processing fosters psychological relief.


Traditional cooperative practices like Dure or Pumsawi, where communities collaborate for mutual support, further demonstrate the role of social networks in well-being. Contemporary applications of these concepts appear in wellness programs, community interventions, and end-of-life care (well-dying), extending well-being beyond individual-centered models to social, cultural, and ecological domains.


This presentation will examine these Korean indigenous well-being constructs, compare them with Western paradigms, and discuss their implications for cross-cultural research, intervention design, and global well-being discourse. Highlighting these culturally grounded perspectives can enrich the understanding of well-being worldwide and emphasize the importance of integrating cultural specificity into psychological practice and research.