Opinion Piece: Don't Let Korea's 'Taeeum' Culture Burn Into Taiwan's Healthcare System

In recent years, the 'Taeeum' (Korean: 태움) culture in South Korea's nursing sector has repeatedly made headlines in international media. 'Taeeum' refers to senior nursing staff burning the 'soul' of newcomers to 'ashes' through humiliation, scolding, isolation, and excessive working hours, justified under the belief that only through such harsh trials can one become a true professional nurse. However, this rationalized form of workplace bullying not only exhausts nurses physically and mentally but also triggers waves of resignations, talent drain, and even tragedies. Korea's experience is not just Korea's problem—it is a warning all healthcare systems must heed. As Taiwan faces structural challenges such as nursing shortages, long working hours, and high-stress work environments, avoiding the same path as Korea has become a critical issue for healthcare reform and labor rights.

First, examining the origins of 'Taeeum' culture reveals it did not emerge overnight but is the result of long-term interactions between healthcare systems, organizational culture, and societal values. The Korean healthcare system has traditionally emphasized hierarchical ethics, with strict seniority observed within hospitals, making new nurses the targets of 'training.' Some senior staff adopt a 'once I was a daughter-in-law, now I'm a mother-in-law' mentality, rationalizing the suffering they once endured and reproducing workplace bullying onto the next generation through verbal abuse, public humiliation, and psychological harassment—creating a vicious cycle.

Moreover, chronic understaffing, high patient-to-nurse ratios, and overwhelming workloads have led management to prioritize organizational efficiency over humane treatment. The mindset of 'no mistakes allowed' has evolved into a 'nightmare for newcomers,' eventually institutionalizing workplace violence. When bullying is disguised as 'professional training,' what is truly burned out is not just the passion of new staff but the sustainability of the entire healthcare system.

Second, while Taiwan's nursing profession has long enjoyed high social trust, it similarly faces structural issues such as long working hours, high stress, and high turnover. In recent years, many new nurses have shared on social media their experiences of verbal humiliation, public scolding, exclusion, and lack of guidance. Some hospitals have even sparked labor disputes due to poor management culture. While Taiwan has not yet developed a systemic bullying culture as widespread as Korea's 'Taeeum,' if healthcare institutions continue to justify practices with 'we all endured this in the past,' isolated incidents may accumulate into structural problems over time.

More importantly, nursing shortages create a vicious cycle: fewer staff mean heavier workloads, leading to higher turnover, which further increases stress and conflict risks for remaining staff—especially toward newcomers. If unaddressed, Taiwan could face the same crisis Korea has experienced.

The key to avoiding Korea's fate lies not in post-incident responses but in proactively building a healthy workplace culture. First, healthcare institutions must redefine professional development by replacing 'scolding' with 'teaching,' establishing comprehensive training and mentorship programs so that knowledge transfer occurs through respect, not humiliation. Second, hospital managers must adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward workplace bullying, with robust anonymous reporting, investigation, and protection mechanisms so victims can speak up without fear of retaliation, ensuring managerial accountability. Third, and most importantly, improving nurse-to-patient ratios, reducing workloads, and increasing staffing are essential. Behind many bullying incidents are not personality conflicts but emotional breakdowns and systemic imbalances caused by chronic high-pressure environments. Only by improving working conditions can the root causes of conflict be truly reduced. Workplace culture is not built by slogans but shaped by systems—when systems encourage respect, culture can truly change.

Finally, the government must actively intervene from a public policy perspective rather than leaving the issue to individual hospitals. First, a national reporting and monitoring system for healthcare workplace bullying should be established, incorporating it as a key indicator in healthcare quality and labor inspections, with regular public disclosure of findings to enhance transparency. Second, the government should continue promoting and enforcing legal nurse-to-patient ratios and reasonable staffing levels, preventing healthcare institutions from cutting staff for operational efficiency and turning excessive workloads into fertile ground for bullying culture. Third, the government should integrate workplace mental health into healthcare policy, providing psychological support, stress management, and leadership training for nursing staff and managers, and establishing a 'healthcare workplace-friendly certification' system to incentivize hospitals to build respectful, diverse, and safe work environments through policy rewards.

Only through simultaneous reform in institutional design, labor protections, and management culture can healthcare quality and retention rates truly improve—rather than merely reacting after tragedies occur. Korea's 'Taeeum' culture offers Taiwan a profound warning at the intersection of labor rights, healthcare governance, and public policy. From a labor rights perspective, justifying humiliation and bullying under the guise of 'professional training' violates the human dignity expected in modern workplaces. From a healthcare governance perspective, high-quality care cannot be built on fear-based management but must be founded on safety, collaboration, and trust. From a public policy perspective, no matter how many talent development programs are launched, nursing professionals cannot be retained without systemic improvements to working conditions.

Taiwan's healthcare system stands at a critical crossroads. Rather than waiting for the next tragedy, it is time to confront the issues and reform the system. What should be passed down is not a culture of suffering 'endured in the past,' but a professional ethos of 'walking forward together.'

*Author: Independent journalist, labor rights blogger