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🇰🇷 South Korea /Health & Science

Why couldn't Vivian escape the hospital? A critique of modern end-of-life care

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Context piece
  • The article discusses the difficult and often inhumane treatment of terminally ill patients in modern hospitals, drawing parallels between a 2001 film and contemporary South Korean healthcare.
  • It critiques the focus on research and treatment over patient dignity and emotional well-being, highlighting the "unacceptable" nature of suffering for young patients.
  • The piece suggests that true wisdom and empathy in medicine come from practicing ethical care, not just accumulating knowledge, and questions the effectiveness of mandatory humanities courses for doctors.

The article critiques the modern medical system's approach to terminal illness, using the 2001 film "Wit" as a lens to examine the struggles of patients, families, and doctors. It highlights the profound difficulty in accepting the death of young individuals who have not yet lived fully, contrasting it with the "tolerable" deaths of the elderly as described by ethicist Daniel Callahan.

The deaths of the elderly are 'tolerable,' emphasizing that dignified closure is more important than life extension in old age.

— Daniel CallahanAn ethicist's view on the acceptance of death in old age, contrasted with the difficulty of accepting the death of the young.

Protagonist Vivian, a literature professor specializing in John Donne's poetry on death, faces a terminal cancer diagnosis. Her doctor, Harvey Kelekiian, proposes an aggressive clinical trial, warning of extreme pain. Vivian endures the highest dose of experimental chemotherapy for eight months, becoming a valuable "test subject" for doctors who admire her resilience. However, her human dignity is systematically disregarded, and she experiences not only the agony of cancer but also profound humiliation.

I am a strong person, and I will endure.

— VivianVivian's self-assurance at the beginning of her treatment, highlighting her initial belief in her own resilience.

The author draws a stark parallel between the film's depiction of a dehumanizing 2001 American hospital and the current state of healthcare in South Korea in 2026. The narrative questions whether studying humanities truly instills wisdom and empathy in medical professionals, suggesting that simply prescribing such courses as a remedy is insufficient. Instead, it posits that genuine ethical practice stems from adults embodying their knowledge through actions, much like salmon swimming against the current.

The doctors marveled at her tenacity, and she was recognized for her value as a precious test subject.

— Article narratorDescribing how Vivian's value shifted from a person to a research subject.

The piece further explores the concept of "non-places" as described by anthropologist Marc Augé, where individuals are reduced to symbols or numbers, detached from their identity. This is mirrored in the hospital setting, where patients like Vivian are treated as research specimens rather than whole persons. The article concludes with a poignant reflection on how individuals are ultimately judged by the impact of their lives, suggesting that a life that fails to move others may not receive compassion, even in death.

The inhumanity of the American hospital in 2001 seems to be directly replicated in South Korea in 2026.

— Article narratorDrawing a parallel between the film's depiction of healthcare and the current situation in South Korea.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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