Social happiness: Contemporary Perspectives and Hypothesis Development in South Korea

This study analyzes the determinants of social happiness among working-age adults in South Korea using a nationwide online survey of 2,000 respondents. An ordinary least squares (OLS) model examines factors, including dimensions such as family relationships, employment, financial status, security, trust, leisure, environment, and digital skills, that determine social happiness from a subjective, multidimensional perspective. The model explains 76.5% of the variance for the latent variable of happiness, confirming the multidimensional nature of well-being in advanced Asian economies. Family satisfaction, job satisfaction, and digital skills emerge as the most important factors and predictors, while housing, transportation, and green spaces also contribute positively. Conversely, qualification–job mismatch and oversaturation of cultural amenities negatively affect happiness. These findings highlight the pivotal role of emotional and technological capital in sustaining happiness within a hyperconnected society and point to policy priorities centered on family support, decent employment, digital inclusion, and urban livability. The study also advances a comprehensive, multidimensional framework for understanding how structural and psychosocial factors jointly shape happiness in East Asia.