Self-reported life satisfaction in South Korea

South Korea: Self-reported life satisfaction was 6.04 in 2025. ▬ Flat

Latest (2025)
6.04
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
66th
of 157 countries
All-time high
6.27
in 2012
All-time low
5.64
in 2011
Years of data
14
2011–2025

Self-reported life satisfaction in South Korea, 2011–2025

02462011201820252011: 5.62012: 6.32014: 62015: 5.82016: 5.82017: 5.92018: 5.92019: 5.92020: 5.82021: 5.92022: 62023: 6.12024: 62025: 6

Source: Wellbeing Research Centre (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, self-reported life satisfaction in South Korea stood at 6.04.

The figure is up 3.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, self-reported life satisfaction in South Korea peaked at 6.27 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 5.64, in 2011.

That places South Korea 66th out of 157 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 5.9 5.64 6.27 8
2020s 5.98 5.84 6.06 6

Countries ranked near South Korea

  1. 63 Dominican Republic 6.09 compare
  2. 64 China 6.07 compare
  3. 65 Kyrgyzstan 6.05 compare
  4. 66 Colombia 6.04 compare
  5. 68 Portugal 6.03 compare
  6. 69 Croatia 6.01 compare

See the full ranking of 157 places →

More social development data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is self-reported life satisfaction in South Korea?
Self-reported life satisfaction in South Korea was 6.04 in 2025, according to Wellbeing Research Centre (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest self-reported life satisfaction recorded in South Korea?
The highest recorded value was 6.27 in 2012.
What is the lowest self-reported life satisfaction recorded in South Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 5.64 in 2011.
How does South Korea rank for self-reported life satisfaction?
South Korea ranks 66th out of 157 countries with data for 2025.
Is self-reported life satisfaction rising or falling in South Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Korea data come from?
The figures come from Wellbeing Research Centre (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Self-reported life satisfaction. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Self-reported life satisfaction
Source
Wellbeing Research Centre (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
157 places, 2,073 data points, 2011–2025
Last refreshed

Average of survey responses. The survey question asks respondents their current position on a hypothetical ladder, where the best possible life for them is a 10, and the worst possible life is a 0.