[Student Voices] Smiling in the Shadows
Published: 20 Oct. 2025, 08:56
Jane Lee, Seoul Aju Elementary School
by Jane Lee, Seoul Aju Elementary School
I covered my mouth to stop a laugh from escaping. My friends were joking about something and the whole room was filled with bouncing shoulders. But there was no sign of a smile. There were hands where there should be open mouths showing their teeth. As we grow up, we learn to lock away our feelings like this. Don’t cry. Don’t get upset. Don’t show your teeth. But why, exactly, do we try to hide our emotions?
For me, it’s because I don’t want people to judge me. If I cry, they may see me as weak. If I laugh at the wrong time, I might look weird. And, if I show my anger, people might think I’m a mean person.
Like me, other people hide their emotions to avoid sending the wrong message. Consider a doctor, for example, who is about to tell a patient about an illness. Would it be wise to show facial expressions while talking about that? Doing so could make the patient scared. My dad, a cardiologist, said that he needs to hide his emotions when suggesting surgery for his patients. If a patient needs a difficult surgery, remaining neutral would ease the patient and make them more likely to follow the right medical plan.
Culture also plays a part in how we show our emotions. People from Asia tend to hide their feelings more than those from other countries. Korean culture, for example, prioritizes social harmony more than personal feelings. Showing strong emotions can be seen as selfish or rude, especially when you’re in front of a grown-up.
Sometimes, we also hide our emotions to protect others. We don’t want to worry our friends or family. We’re okay, we want them to think. Even when we’re really not.
As people keep hiding their emotions, they get so used to it that they no longer know whether they feel emotions or not. I had a friend who kept bothering me and doing things I hated, like pulling my hair and yanking on my school uniform. But, I hid my anger and sadness. I didn’t want to hurt my friend. But that only made the problem worse. Because I didn’t express my emotions, my friend never knew that I didn’t like what she was doing. So it kept happening.
It’s important to let your feelings out every once in a while. This encourages honesty, which prevents cracks in friendships and makes them even stronger. Letting out your emotions can be hard at first. You may mess up and act out or show the wrong emotion. But once you get used to it, you’ll be able to be true to your friends and family as well as yourself.
When you release your emotions, you also reduce stress. This plays a part in keeping your body healthy. According to the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, suppressing your emotions can lead to various illnesses and stress. Expressing your emotions regularly reduces the chance of aggressive behavior and depression. Showing your feelings also creates a ripple effect and teaches others to show their feelings as well.
What people tend to think is that showing your emotions is showing your weaknesses. But it’s actually the opposite. Being able to show your emotions is proof of how strong you are. So, let’s see those teeth!
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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