KWDI Korean Women’s Development Institute

Due to changes in the functioning of the family and family structure, as well as shifts in related family values, spousal relationships in Korea have grown more important in old age. Still, the level of marital satisfaction among females in their 50s and males in their 70s is comparatively lower than that reported by their counterparts in other age groups, and the divorce rate for marriages of more than 20 years has been steadily increasing. In many cases, a failure to devote the required time and effort to develop relationships with their family members on the part of men while in their 30s and 40s has been identified as a main source of marital conflict and disruption in middle and old age. Men generally face difficulties as they pass through the significant life transition of the retirement process and are forced to readjust both their individual and family lives. However, few studies have examined the family life of middle-aged and senior men from their perspective. The purpose of this study is to investigate the family life of middle-aged and senior men in Korea in terms of their family relationships and life satisfaction, as well as to investigate the changes in family life in the pre-and and post-retirement period.

Both quantitative and qualitative methods were utilized for this study. First of all, two nationally representative data sets were analyzed in order to examine family relationships and life satisfaction among men aged 46 and older. Specifically, the 2010 Baby Boomers’ Demographic Profiles and Welfare Needs data (KIHASA, 2010) were analyzed as a means to investigate the family life satisfaction, social participation, level of preparedness for old age, and overall life satisfaction among men and women aged between 46-59, and further analysis was performed in order to identify differences among men in terms of age group, level of education, level of household-income, type of household composition, and their labor force participation status (e.g., pre-retiree, in phased retirement, retiree). The 2012 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging data (KEIS, 2013) was analyzed in an effort to examine the family lives of men aged 50 and older and explore the determinants of life satisfaction among these men by focusing on the effect of retirement and family relationships. Moreover, a survey developed by a KWDI research team was conducted in order to illuminate the life satisfaction, family life (e.g., relationship satisfaction, division of household labor, level of support for child(ren) and parents), social network, work and retirement planning, and personal values of men aged 50 to 69 who reside in the Seoul Metropolitan Area (N=700). Lastly, in-depth interviews (N=20) were conducted to support an examination of how the retirement process affects the family lives of men and the ways in which earlier family relationships impact the retirement process and later life.

The results show that spousal relationships and relationships with a child or children, as well as health condition, level of education, and level of household income, all affect the quality of life among men. In addition, respondents reported relatively high levels of conflict with their spouse compared to with other family members. Therefore, evidence-based marriage and education programs that are designed to enhance communication skills and help resolve relationship conflicts should be developed and expanded. Secondly, men who prepared for old age reported higher levels of life satisfaction compared to those who did not do so. This indicates that multidimensional life planning and retirement planning services at earlier stages are critical for later life. With regard to retirement, respondents to our survey reported experiencing higher levels of depression due to loss of roles and lack of financial security following retirement. Therefore, gradual retirement should be encouraged through various measures (e.g., phased retirement, partial retirement) to allow individuals and their families to experience a smoother process of transition. The opportunity for social participation should be enlarged so that retirees are able to offer a contribution to society through the knowledge and skills they developed over the course of their lifetimes, which in turn could enhance their self-esteem and self-efficacy. Lastly, our study showed that men in middle- and old age in Korea (mostly baby boomers born in the years of 1955-1963) did not have an opportunity to balance work and life due to a culture of long working hours and emphasis on the male role of breadwinner. This in turn significantly affected their life after retirement in a negative manner in terms of family relationships and personal lifestyle. Therefore, the dominant paradigm in Korean society should be shifted toward encouraging individuals to better balance work and life throughout the life course.