Unveiling the unknown: exploring Korean anonymous organ donors’ post-donation outcomes

Despite increasing global interest in anonymous organ donation, empirical research remains limited, particularly outside North America and Europe. In South Korea, anonymous donors—who provide organs without personal ties to recipients—represent a rare and underexamined population due to limited accessibility and confidentiality. This study addresses this gap by investigating post-donation outcomes among 200 Korean anonymous organ donors, the largest such cohort to date. Using survey data collected with the assistance of the Korean Organ Donor Program, we examined donors’ demographic characteristics, motivations, and donation experiences. A Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) was employed to classify post-donation experiences, resulting in three distinct clusters: highly enriched (47%), moderately enriched (41%), and scarcely enriched (12%) positive outcomes. Multinomial logistic regression analysis identified key predictors associated with outcome profiles. Being female, reporting good subjective health, and prioritizing self-esteem were linked to highly enriched experiences, while self-employment was associated with more limited positive outcomes. Additionally, strong family support and thorough pre-donation deliberation emerged as significant predictors of favorable post-donation experiences. The results suggest that while many donors report meaningful psychological and social benefits, such positive outcomes are not uniformly experienced. A substantial minority of donors reported less favorable outcomes, indicating the presence of emotional or contextual challenges that may complicate the donor experience. These findings point to the importance of avoiding overly idealized assumptions about post-donation benefits and instead recognizing the diverse trajectories donors may follow. The study contributes new cultural and empirical insights to the field of organ donation and highlights the need for supportive interventions—including psychosocial counseling and structured follow-up—for donors at greater risk of adverse experiences.