senior poverty
Painting a World in Two Square Meters
Nearly half of all senior households in South Korea live under the poverty line. Hong Gu-hyeon, a 66-year-old artist who has been living in a jjokbang for over 20 years, is one of them. Those earning less than 50 percent of the median income qualify to receive government subsidies
Nostalgia: Music for the Old
“Adding Memories” is a cafe in Jongno, Seoul, catering mostly to the elderly crowd, who remember the days decades ago, when people crowded around the jukebox or vinyl records. “Their song requests have a different level of longing,” the DJ said. Read more about Jongno, a
The Old Man’s Harbor
Everyday for the past twenty years, 78-year-old Kim Yun-sik has been going to Jongno in central Seoul. Around noon, he eats free lunch at the cafeteria where a Buddhist temple used to stand until the 1500s; until 5 p.m., he whiles away the time in Tapgol Park, and in
Heat Shelters Are So Hot Right Now
On its website, Seoul’s Gwangjin District has a map scattered with a total of 99 red pins that make the landscape look like it has broken out in heat rash. But contrary to its heated appearance, the red shapes denote air conditioned oases where people without other options can
Seoul's Seniors Seek Refuge in the City
For a behind-the-scenes glimpse, read Reporter’s Notebook: Summer in Tapgol Park.