[twigs]

The Korean culture is brutal to those it perceives as unsuccessful. This young man was probably getting ready to graduate. My guess is that he didn’t see a successful future for some reason. I don’t know about Koreans, but the Chinese are extremely materialistic and judge one another on the basis of owning things. He did not go into the a major with a high expectation of a high salary, like engineering, etc. All of these things could be a part of what was mulling around in his head.

[ChocChipCookie]

I don’t know about Koreans, but the Chinese are extremely materialistic and judge one another on the basis of owning things.

Oh my Lord. This explains a LOT. My BIL is Chinese, both parents immigrated from mainland China. VERY materialistic. He and my sister own a Miata, an Accord, a Honda minivan, a Mercedes SUV, and a motorcycle (for the two of them), he owns at least five sets of golf clubs, and I could go on and on. When they adopted their son and my sister wanted to be a SAHM, they were going to LIE to his father and tell him she had gone back to work and the baby was in daycare! Insane!!! BIL talked my sister into doing exactly that, however. Now they have two incomes for all the STUFF they could ever want, but never need.