Gyeonggi Research Institute: "Must Recognize Diversity in MZ Generation Values… Mental Health is Common Vulnerable Point"

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun Reporter] A research finding showed that while the M generation and Z generation, commonly grouped as the 'MZ generation,' display clear differences in values regarding marriage and children, all commonly report depression and show vulnerabilities in mental health.

The Gyeonggi Research Institute announced on the 28th that it has published the report 'A Close Look at the MZ Generation,' using the '2020 Quality of Life Survey of Gyeonggi Residents' conducted from September to November of last year targeting approximately 16,000 households in Gyeonggi Province.

The institute categorized Gyeonggi residents into Z generation (born 1997-2005), M(Y) generation (born 1985-1996), X generation (born 1975-1984), second baby boomers (born 1965-1974), and first baby boomers (born 1955-1964).

Among these, the MZ generation (M generation 2.176 million, Z generation 1.343 million) accounts for 26.2% of the total population of the province.

While the MZ generation is perceived as a single group, since they have different historical and social experiences due to age differences, the research results showed differing values between the two.

Regarding marriage, more than half of the Z generation (53.5%) said 'it doesn't matter whether I marry or not,' while the M generation showed a preference for 'it is better to marry' (40.0%) over 'it doesn't matter' (37.8%). When asked about children, 55.5% of the Z generation answered it doesn't matter if they have children, but among the M generation, 19.0% said children should be present—11.0 percentage points higher than the Z generation (8.0%).

Support rates for international marriage (Z generation 53.0%, M generation 44.0%) and support for foreigners residing in Korea (Z generation 71.2%, M generation 67.7%) were higher among the Z generation than the M generation.

Life satisfaction also showed that the Z generation had the highest overall life dissatisfaction rate at 9.9% among all generations, while the M generation was at 6.7%, the second lowest after the X generation (6.5%).

However, all commonly reported mental health concerns including depression and stress.

When asked about depression in the past week, the Z generation showed 22.6%—the second highest after first baby boomers (23.5%)—and the M generation was at a similar level of 21.7%.

In particular, the Z generation reported experiencing very high stress in daily life at 13.0%, relatively higher than the M generation (8.6%) or X generation (7.2%).

Yoo Jung-kyun, research fellow at the Gyeonggi Research Institute, said "While the MZ generation is grouped as the youth generation, there will be differences in current life and desired policies depending on age-specific characteristics and experiential backgrounds within the youth," adding "However, the MZ generation commonly shows high anxiety about employment and depression, and is particularly the group whose quality of life level has declined the most compared to before COVID-19, requiring strengthened policies for stability and mental health recovery."