Journal of the Korean Geographical Society ISSN:1225-6633(Print) 대한지리학회지

The goal of this research aims to identify the matter as to what the Doraji club for old Korean residents in Japan has a geographical significance of mental health care from a perspective of R. D. Laing’ idea, the Rumpus Space. The results are as follows. First, the Doraji club in terms of deinstitutionalization and community-based care helps in solving multi-dimensional problems that result from the unstable declining years of the members such as absence of pension, exclusion of social system because of a language barrier, psychological conflict coming from lack of understanding about Korean culture, etc. These activities can be regarded as the provision that they can settle down in their community thoroughly. Second, the volunteer members for the Doraji club substitute for the government and show their capability in microgeographies; also, they take a role as a supporter, healer and a monitor. Furthermore, one of the their roles as a mediator, who stimulates the members to recognize the awareness of Japanese again, can be understood as the making of the Doraji club for the whole space of care. Third, the programs for the Doraji club based on the solidarity as one of the characteristics of Korean promote mental health care considering complementary and alternative medicine (CAM); additionally, these activities become the power that the members adapt themselves in Japan as an exclusionary and discriminative environment.