Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What if leaving your bedroom felt impossible? Across Asia, a growing number of young people are becoming hikikomori, a term used to describe people who suffer from a severe social withdrawal.
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They shut themselves in their homes, retreating from work, school, or their families for months, sometimes years.
That condition was first observed in Japan but other countries like South Korea, China and Singapore have since reported a rising number of youths choosing to shut themselves in at home. That’s raising difficult questions about loneliness, social pressure and mental health.
Some countries like South Korea are trying something unexpected: government-backed AI chatbots designed to build trust with socially isolated young people and encourage them to reconnect with the world. But can an artificial companion really help someone return to society? Or could it end up becoming another reason to stay hidden?
On this episode of Asia Specific, host Mariko Oi speaks to BBC News journalist Sophie Jeong who has reported on the phenomenon in South Korea, as well as Paul Wong, a clinical psychologist and a professor at Hong Kong University. Together, they explore why more young people are disappearing from public life, and whether AI is part of the solution, or part of the problem.
This episode discusses social isolation in Asia. Viewers who identify with the issues raised are encouraged to seek local support.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Introduction
01:21 - What is hikikomori?
02:25 - How widespread is the hikikomori problem in Asia?
03:54 - Why people isolate themselves in Asia
07:15 - Are there hikikomoris in China?
08:14 - How Covid played a part in the rising number of shut-ins
11:05 - Why the rising number of hikikomoris affects the wider society
12:19 - How South Korea is trying to solve the hikikomori problem
12:59 - Interview with the founder of a share house in South Korea
17:00 - How other countries are dealing with the hikikomori problem
18:05 - Can AI solve the hikikomori problem?
Watch more episodes of Asia Specific here 👉🏽 youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz_B0PFGIn4c3njIxB0KHuO8SS2mBMtUc
Instagram: @bbcworldservice
Email: asiaspecific@bbc.co.uk
Presenter: Mariko Oi
Producers: Derek Cai, Rachel Lee, Sophie Jeong
Camera: Muhammad Firdaus Bin Mohd Ansary, Fahmi Jamal, Khairul Danish Bin Mohd Roslee
Editor: Bill Birtles
----------------
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#BBCWorldService #WorldService #asiaspecific #asiaspecificpodcast #Hikikomori #Recluse #socialwithdrawal
What if leaving your bedroom felt impossible? Across Asia, a growing number of young people are becoming hikikomori, a term used to describe people who suffer from a severe social withdrawal.
Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 bbc.in/3VyyriM
They shut themselves in their homes, retreating from work, school, or their families for months, sometimes years.
That condition was first observed in Japan but other countries like South Korea, China and Singapore have since reported a rising number of youths choosing to shut themselves in at home. That’s raising difficult questions about loneliness, social pressure and mental health.
Some countries like South Korea are trying something unexpected: government-backed AI chatbots designed to build trust with socially isolated young people and encourage them to reconnect with the world. But can an artificial companion really help someone return to society? Or could it end up becoming another reason to stay hidden?
On this episode of Asia Specific, host Mariko Oi speaks to BBC News journalist Sophie Jeong who has reported on the phenomenon in South Korea, as well as Paul Wong, a clinical psychologist and a professor at Hong Kong University. Together, they explore why more young people are disappearing from public life, and whether AI is part of the solution, or part of the problem.
This episode discusses social isolation in Asia. Viewers who identify with the issues raised are encouraged to seek local support.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Introduction
01:21 - What is hikikomori?
02:25 - How widespread is the hikikomori problem in Asia?
03:54 - Why people isolate themselves in Asia
07:15 - Are there hikikomoris in China?
08:14 - How Covid played a part in the rising number of shut-ins
11:05 - Why the rising number of hikikomoris affects the wider society
12:19 - How South Korea is trying to solve the hikikomori problem
12:59 - Interview with the founder of a share house in South Korea
17:00 - How other countries are dealing with the hikikomori problem
18:05 - Can AI solve the hikikomori problem?
Watch more episodes of Asia Specific here 👉🏽 youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz_B0PFGIn4c3njIxB0KHuO8SS2mBMtUc
Instagram: @bbcworldservice
Email: asiaspecific@bbc.co.uk
Presenter: Mariko Oi
Producers: Derek Cai, Rachel Lee, Sophie Jeong
Camera: Muhammad Firdaus Bin Mohd Ansary, Fahmi Jamal, Khairul Danish Bin Mohd Roslee
Editor: Bill Birtles
----------------
This is the official BBC World Service YouTube channel.
If you like what we do, you can also find us here:
Instagram 👉🏽 instagram.com/bbcworldservice
Twitter 👉🏽 twitter.com/bbcworldservice
Facebook 👉🏽 facebook.com/bbcworldservice
BBC World Service website 👉🏽 bbc.co.uk/worldserviceradio
Thanks for watching and subscribing!
#BBCWorldService #WorldService #asiaspecific #asiaspecificpodcast #Hikikomori #Recluse #socialwithdrawal
