IPA Asia-Pacific Meeting Reframes Narcissism as Relational Disconnection

The 5th IPA Asia-Pacific Conference concluded in Seoul. The event reframed narcissism, often read in modern society as selfishness, not simply as a flaw in individual character but as a problem of relational disconnection and deprivation. The central discussion focused on understanding the emotional lack hidden behind narcissism and seeking a solution through emotional reconstruction that restores love. A seminar on director Lee Chang-dong’s film Secret Sunshine also drew attention. By reading human suffering and mourning through art, it expanded the psychoanalytic discussion. The conference became an occasion to revisit isolation and the recovery of relationships in contemporary society. Source: mk.co.kr