Abstract

This study examines the use of forgiveness in the fundamental treatment of "hahn" from a psychological perspective. "Hahn", which is referred as the characteristic emotion of Korean people, can be broadly defined as negative emotions occurring in various situations. If hahn is resolved positively and fundamentally as soon as it occurs. it will bring positive effects such as personal growth. Otherwise, it will ruin one's healthy life. However, many Koreans have traditionally used passive ways of resolving hahn such as suppression or indirect catharsis. Consequently, it seems that their hahn has remained and they have become "people of hahn". Forgiveness is an active self-healing and self-recovering problem-solving skill which can be used as one of the best and fundamental treatments of hahn. However, lack of psychological research of forgiveness has prevented us from using forgiveness to treat hahn. This study, based on research on hahn and forgiveness, examines what are specific psychological processes in treating hahn by forgiveness and what variables might influence these processes.