In this blog post, I’ll examine how mask-wearing became commonplace as yellow dust and fine dust problems worsened, and reflect on the relationship between individualism and societal changes underlying this trend.

The Severity of Yellow Dust and Fine Dust

On February 23, 2015, the internet was abuzz. The reason was news that Seoul’s fine dust concentration had skyrocketed to 999 μg/m³. For someone like me, who had only ever lived in the countryside with clean air, the sight of everyone walking around the streets wearing yellow dust and fine dust masks was a truly strange sight. But was that the only reason I found it strange?

The Recent Severity of Yellow Dust and Fine Dust

Even today, yellow dust and fine dust are still treated as major environmental issues. If the fine dust readings don’t quite resonate with you, take a look at the current fine dust forecast categories. In South Korea, fine dust forecasts currently classify PM10 and PM2.5—ultrafine dust—into four levels: “Good,” “Moderate,” “Poor,” and “Very Poor.” For PM10, levels of 0–30 μg/m³ are “Good,” 31–80 μg/m³ are “Moderate,” 81–150 μg/m³ are “Unhealthy,” and 151 μg/m³ or higher are “Very Unhealthy”; for PM2.5, levels of 0–15 μg/m³ are “Good,” 16–35 μg/m³ are “Moderate,” 36–75 μg/m³ are “Unhealthy,” and 76 μg/m³ or higher are “Very Unhealthy.”
Comparing this to current fine dust forecast standards gives some idea of just how high a level 999 μg/m³ actually was. It means the concentration was extremely high—far beyond merely being a little dangerous. Furthermore, there is now a greater body of scientific evidence than in the past regarding the health effects of fine dust, particularly PM2.5. The World Health Organization (WHO) explains that PM2.5 and PM10 can penetrate deep into the lungs, and PM2.5, in particular, can enter the bloodstream, potentially affecting the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

A Shift in a Once-Indifferent Society

As recently as the mid-2010s, if you went out wearing a mask because yellow dust was severe, quite a few people would look at you strangely or think you were overreacting. In fact, it seemed easier to spot people wearing masks on the streets of Japan—where the air is cleaner than in South Korea—than in South Korea itself. However, social attitudes toward masks have changed significantly. On days when yellow dust or fine particulate matter is severe, not wearing a mask can even make you appear careless.

The Meaning Behind the Widespread Adoption of Masks

It’s easy to identify a few reasons why wearing masks has become commonplace. First, there is now widespread public awareness of the health risks posed by yellow dust and fine dust. In other words, people have come to feel the environmental threat firsthand—that it is no longer safe to go about daily life without wearing a mask. Furthermore, as the severity of this issue was quantified through technology—specifically, fine dust concentration measurements—it became tangible information. This, combined with the fact that the threat was perceived as something that directly affects people’s lives, created a synergistic effect. On top of that, advancements in information and communication technology have created the conditions for information about these risks to spread rapidly and widely.

The Vicious Cycle of Yellow Dust and Fine Dust

The points mentioned above alone feel somewhat insufficient to provide a complete answer as to why we started wearing masks. I’d like to return to the fundamental reason why we began wearing masks against yellow dust and fine dust. Why do we wear them? After all, if we didn’t perceive yellow dust and fine dust as major problems, we probably wouldn’t bother wearing masks. It’s probably because we perceive the severity of yellow dust and fine dust to be that high.
So, why are yellow dust and fine dust becoming more serious? The thought that suddenly comes to mind is that while we should be willing to accept some losses for the sake of the environment, our competitors will seize that opportunity to pull ahead—in other words, because of mutual distrust, no one is willing to be the first to stop the race. This shows that we are living our lives while pushing each other from behind. For this reason, yellow dust and fine dust have gradually become more severe, leading to alerts and action advisories regarding high concentrations of fine dust, along with guidance to reduce or refrain from going outdoors. However, in order to avoid being left behind in a competitive society, we have no choice but to go out. Thus, we find ourselves stepping outside with nothing but a mask on. The reasons for the worsening yellow dust and fine particulate matter, and the phenomenon of mask-wearing, are ultimately rooted in the same context.

Another Reflection (Part 2): The Advent of an Individualistic Society and Mask-Wearing

Moving forward, I’d like to focus more on our society’s inability to break this vicious cycle. To do so, let’s reconsider why we wear masks. No matter how severe the yellow dust and fine particulate matter become, we could still choose not to wear masks. As recently as the mid-2010s, far fewer people paid attention to news reports recommending mask-wearing than they do now. Since this was only a few years ago, you can easily relate to this if you reflect on your own experiences. Back then, many people were reluctant to wear masks because they didn’t want to look out of place or found it a hassle. So, what lay at the heart of this shift in mindset?
Just as the saying “neighbors are like cousins” suggests, the social norms of the past—where “we” felt more familiar than “I”—were closely tied to the characteristics of an agricultural society where mutual aid and helping one another with farm work were essential. During that time, valuing the individual was often equated, to some extent, with selfishness. However, with the advent of the 21st century, the concept of individualism began to gradually separate from the notion of selfishness that had long been associated with it. This is because, as industrial structures changed, personal achievement became more important and the focus of life shifted to the individual. In other words, as a focus on the individual became widespread in society, individualism was no longer perceived solely as a negative concept. Consequently, in a society where people don’t even know the name of their next-door neighbor—and where not knowing poses no problem—people have gradually become less conscious of others’ gazes. For some, this lack of self-consciousness has even evolved into a confident, self-assured, and cool demeanor—as long as it does not harm others. This has fostered an atmosphere where people are not self-conscious about appearing eccentric and do not hastily judge others, which has played a role in making mask-wearing commonplace. Furthermore, in a society that values the individual in this way, the concept of self-care has taken on an even more important role in people’s lives, and for these individuals, masks for yellow dust and fine particulate matter have become an essential item for maintaining respiratory health.

How has individualism changed mask-wearing?

The reason we wear masks for yellow dust and fine particulate matter can be summed up in one word: “individualism.” Because individual achievement is valued, the phenomena of yellow dust and fine particulate matter—and the threats they pose—have intensified; yet, precisely because the individual is valued, an atmosphere has been created where people manage themselves more rigorously without worrying about others, leading to the widespread adoption of mask-wearing. As someone who thinks this way, I, too, feel that as my reservations about wearing masks gradually fade, I am going along with this social trend of individualism.