Sunita, a woman from Hong Kong, discovered the personal side of this trend when her 25‑year‑old daughter stopped answering calls, blocked her on social media and called her a “toxic mother.” Sunita’s attempts to reconcile failed, leaving her confused and sleepless.

Deliberately ending communication with a family member is often called going “no contact.” A Cornell University survey of more than 1,300 U.S. adults found that 27 % reported estrangement from a relative, and 10 % said the break was with a parent or child.

In many Asian cultures, such a break clashes with strong expectations of filial piety. A Pew Research Center survey of Chinese respondents conducted in 2016‑18 showed that 84 % believed a father’s authority should be respected under any circumstances, while 88 % said children should strive to bring honor to their parents.

South Korea’s own data echo the phenomenon. A study published in *Ageing & Society* examined 28,038 parent‑child observations across eight survey rounds and documented cases of estrangement, although the rates were lower than those reported in Western studies.

Singapore has even changed its laws to reflect the tension. A 2023 amendment requires parents who have abandoned, abused or neglected a child to obtain a tribunal’s permission before claiming financial support. A third of the cases before the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents involved adult children alleging such mistreatment.

Research by Cornell sociologist Karl Pillemer explains why these breaks happen. He found that estrangement can grow from harsh parenting, favoritism, disputes over money or partners, and differences in values. The same rift is often described in very different ways by parents and children.

A separate study of almost 900 estranged families showed that parents most often blamed their children’s relationships or a sense of entitlement, while adult children more frequently cited hurtful parental behavior and a feeling of being unsupported or unaccepted.

Experts note that younger generations are placing greater importance on personal boundaries, childhood trauma and emotional well‑being. For many, parental control over schooling, careers or relationships feels less like care and more like interference, prompting the decision to go no contact.