brother. So family is - the family
This
This program is live captioned by
Red
This program is live captioned by Red Bee Media.
In
Red Bee Media. In South Korea, a new generation is
taking
In South Korea, a new generation is taking the stage U
Older
Older influencers are shaking up the
country's
Older influencers are shaking up the country's fashion and entertainment
industries
country's fashion and entertainment industries and winning millions of
fans
industries and winning millions of fans on social media E
Their
Their stage name is the Ahjussis, a
term
Their stage name is the Ahjussis, a term that means "uncle" in Korean.
64-year-old
term that means "uncle" in Korean. 64-year-old Park Sung-Man is part of
this
64-year-old Park Sung-Man is part of this pioneering group of senior
influencers,
this pioneering group of senior influencers, created three years
ago.
influencers, created three years ago. Bots bot
Businessman, welder, restaurant
owner
Businessman, welder, restaurant owner - nothing in their past hinted
towards
owner - nothing in their past hinted towards a future in the spotlight.
That
towards a future in the spotlight. That was until retirement.
In
In South
In South Korea, it's not easy being
old,
In South Korea, it's not easy being old, in a society devoted to the
cult
old, in a society devoted to the cult of work.
Retirees
cult of work. Retirees quickly lose their social
status,
Retirees quickly lose their social status, with almost half living
below
status, with almost half living below the poverty line U the suicide
rate
below the poverty line U the suicide rate of people over the age of 66 is
the
rate of people over the age of 66 is the highest in the world U
Today,
Today, some rebelling with a life
expectancy
Today, some rebelling with a life expectancy of 83, they're claiming
their
expectancy of 83, they're claiming their place in the lime light U
Grandfathers
their place in the lime light U Grandfathers and grandmothers are
becoming
Grandfathers and grandmothers are becoming stars online, in move vies
and
becoming stars online, in move vies and in advertising campaigns.
Mr
Mr Park
Mr Park drops by this clothing store
every
Mr Park drops by this clothing store every week to stay on top of
influencer
every week to stay on top of influencer pyramid, he has to
constantly
influencer pyramid, he has to constantly update his wardrobe E
But
But fashion waser in on the cards
for
But fashion waser in on the cards for Park. Back then, his career path
was
for Park. Back then, his career path was mapped out, working at largest
automobile
was mapped out, working at largest automobile company. When he retired
at
automobile company. When he retired at 60, the former sales manager at
Hyundai
at 60, the former sales manager at Hyundai felt lost.
This
This is
This is the man behind Park's new
career,
This is the man behind Park's new career, 33-year-old Kwon Jeong Hyun.
This
career, 33-year-old Kwon Jeong Hyun. This millennial created the
Ahjussis.
Kwon
Kwon has
Kwon has big ambitions for each of
them.
Kwon has big ambitions for each of them. He knows in the coming years,
more
them. He knows in the coming years, more seniors will follow social
media.
more seniors will follow social media. He hopes to turn his rising
internet
media. He hopes to turn his rising internet stars into multimedia
heavyweights.
Seniors
Seniors are already achieving
mainstream
Seniors are already achieving mainstream fame. They're storming
fashion
mainstream fame. They're storming fashion runways. Yong Bum Lee is a
famous
fashion runways. Yong Bum Lee is a famous designer in South Korea.
Today
famous designer in South Korea. Today he's getting ready to present
his
Today he's getting ready to present his collection and more than half
his
his collection and more than half his models are seniors.
The
The show-stopper is Grace Mi-Sook
Um.
Yong
Yong Bum
Yong Bum Lee realised the growing
importance
Yong Bum Lee realised the growing importance of the senior market a
few
importance of the senior market a few years ago.
It
It was
It was seniors in the spotlight,
like
It was seniors in the spotlight, like Grace, who were responsible.
Working
Working in fashion was a dream for
Grace
Working in fashion was a dream for Grace U
She
Grace U She did what society expected of
her.
A
her. A good education, marriage, two
children,
A good education, marriage, two children, and a job as an English
Professor.
When
When she
When she retired, Grace felt rated.
She
When she retired, Grace felt rated. She could now live her dream without
constraints.
She could now live her dream without constraints. Her biggest fan is her
husband.
The
The grey
The grey renaissance has its limits.
Some
The grey renaissance has its limits. Some have experienced it the hard
way.
In
In South
In South Korea, everyone knows
Haldambi.
He
Haldambi. He shot to national fame in 2019,
thanks
He shot to national fame in 2019, thanks to a singing contest on TV.
It
thanks to a singing contest on TV. It was an answer to his prayers, his
celebrity
It was an answer to his prayers, his celebrity earnings helping him
survive.
He
He found
He found fame can be fleeting.
Today, he
Today, he still lives in one of the
poorest
Today, he still lives in one of the poorest areas of Seoul.
His
poorest areas of Seoul. His small apartment a showcase of
memories
His small apartment a showcase of memories of his glory days.
His
His cover
His cover of a K-Pop hit was viewed
more
His cover of a K-Pop hit was viewed more than 3 million times.
But
But the
But the jobs dried up, except for
one.
Almost
one. Almost every day, Ji visits Mr Son,
the
Almost every day, Ji visits Mr Son, the local toy seller, Ji calls him
his
the local toy seller, Ji calls him his manager.
Working
Working for free, Ji helps attract
cues
Working for free, Ji helps attract cues customers to the store.
Today
Today Ji
Today Ji must make do with his
pension
Today Ji must make do with his pension of less than $500 a month.
The
pension of less than $500 a month. The elderly might have gained
popularity
The elderly might have gained popularity in Korea, but that does
not
popularity in Korea, but that does not guarantee a sustainable
livelihood.
Park
Park doesn'tn't want to be another
flash
Park doesn'tn't want to be another flash in the pan. He wants his new
career
flash in the pan. He wants his new career in the spotlight to
flash in the pan. He wants his new he's investing time and money.
Park
Park now
Park now hopes to act on the
Despite
Despite several unsuccessful casting
calls
Despite several unsuccessful casting calls he hopes his training will pay
off.
Before
Before park could try to change
social
Before park could try to change social attitudes he firsted had to
convince
social attitudes he firsted had to convince his family.
Park's
Park's son is 27 and finds it
difficult
Park's son is 27 and finds it difficult to accept his father's
second
difficult to accept his father's second career.
Afraid
Afraid of
Afraid of what she think, Park also
hid
Afraid of what she think, Park also hid his chase for casting calls from
his
hid his chase for casting calls from his wife.
Today
Today Park is often recognise the
streets
Today Park is often recognise the streets and his family appreciates
his
streets and his family appreciates his new additional source of income.
Far
his new additional source of income. Far from disappearing into the
shadows
Far from disappearing into the shadows in his retirement, Park has
stepped
shadows in his retirement, Park has stepped into the lime light and if
he's
stepped into the lime light and if he's lucky, a prosperous old age.
If
he's lucky, a prosperous old age. If the work dries up, then just like
Ji,
If the work dries up, then just like Ji, he will always have his memory.
are
Ji, he will always have his memory. are becoming more visible in Korea,
but
are becoming more visible in Korea, but change takes time.
For
but change takes time. For those like Ji, it's not easy.
But
But the
But the song that brought him glory
still
But the song that brought him glory still keeps his dreams alive.
Next
Next week, we discover why Finland
has
Next week, we discover why Finland has been voted the world's happiest
country
has been voted the world's happiest country and what Australians can do
to
country and what Australians can do to be happier.