Buzz
The key to a vibrant, healthy life for elderly Koreans is to engage in disco dancing, dating, watching romantic movies, and exercising.
Four times a week, Mr. Lee Gwan Woo takes his mother to Jongno district, the heart of Seoul, South Korea. His mother, over 90 years old, persuades her son to drop her off at a certain location, disappearing for the entire day without revealing her whereabouts. For many years, Mr. Lee complied without questioning. Then one day, he decided to follow her and discovered her at Colatec, a nightclub for seniors, known for its romantic affairs akin to those in Korean movies. Initially shocked, Mr. Lee soon realized his mother was enjoying herself. “She comes here and just orders a cup of coffee. I see her genuinely happy around other seniors. It helps her stay strong and healthy. She's 96 years old this year,” the 70-year-old man said. Mr. Lee later bought the nightclub because he wanted to help other seniors live happily and healthily.
Sneaking Away with Grandchildren to Disco
Colatecs Dance Floor in a Central District of Seoul, South Korea, Exclusively for the Elderly. Photo: Channel News Asia.
Behind soundproof doors and under the flashing lights of the disco floor, elderly men and women dance together in pairs while others sit around waiting for their turn on the dance floor. At the bar, even though it's only 11 a.m., soju, beer, and makgeolli rice wine are quickly sold out.
Despite this dance floor being open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to allow the elderly to return home before dark, older customers don't feel any less joy.
Mr. Lee Gang Ma, a 79-year-old gentleman dressed in a smart vest with a denim shirt underneath and sporting aviator-style sunglasses, says he sees this as a form of “exercise”.
'We're joyful, and that helps prevent memory loss. This way is better than staying in the hospital. I come here 25 times a month. That's right, 25 times, with my dancing partner!' the man said, then embraced an elderly lady with wavy hair, both swaying to the music as they stepped onto the dance floor.
They believe their lives will become healthier when they go disco dancing and make friends.
Social stigma forces many elderly men and women to hide their love for dancing. Nevertheless, Colatecs dance floor is perhaps where they can live with their youthful and rebellious spirits. 'Some people dare not let their families know they come here. But we haven't done anything wrong. We just dance,' a woman in her 70s said.
With an entrance fee of only 1,000 won (almost 1 USD), up to 1,200 elderly people come to Colatecs dance floor every day to dance, eat, and chat with each other.
'If they stay home alone, they will be depressed and suffer from memory loss. But if they come here, make friends, with both genders, have a little soju, then all problems will be solved,' Mr. Lee said.
Near Colatecs dance floor, nostalgic-style eateries emerge side by side. Elderly people can get a haircut at an old-fashioned barber shop at an affordable price, have lunch at a restaurant decorated in old style, or listen to famous tunes from the past at a nearby record store.
At the movie theater, posters advertise Hollywood stars like Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe. The signboards here are printed in larger fonts, even with space for the elderly to lean on their canes.
In restaurants, diners sing along to traditional Korean folk songs while enjoying dishes from their childhood.
'I play music and tell stories to remind them of the past. I am a bridge connecting them to memories. I am very happy and proud of this,' 62-year-old DJ Jang Minook said.
Elderly people also need love
Mr. Kim Busik, 69, said: 'I apply moisturizer every day and also get facial massages. Do I look younger than my age?' Photo: Channel News Asia.
Life expectancy in South Korea is on the rise. By 2050, over 40% of the country's population will be over 60. A 60-year-old in South Korea can expect to live up to 84 years. By 2030, the average lifespan of South Korean women will exceed 90, according to a study by Lancet.
The reality reveals that South Korea has the highest elderly suicide rate in the world.
'We should go out, socialize, and enjoy good food. The elderly should live like that,' said Mr. Kim Busik, 69, who regularly goes dancing three times a week whenever his girlfriend, now his wife, doesn't have to look after their grandchildren.
Sister Nun Hui Yoo, who manages a senior center in Seoul, believes that the elderly also need love.
'We often deliberately ignore, pretending we know nothing. But in our center, there are love triangles, even quadrangles among the elderly. I notice that the elderly who often express their feelings will live healthier,' Sister Yoo said.
'Taking care of the elderly is not just about taking care of them physically but also mentally,' according to Sister Yoo, the idea of the elderly going dancing and even finding love there is not wrong.
'When they immerse themselves in relationships with the opposite sex, endorphins are released, making them feel happy, that's the way to live long and live happily.'
Posted by: Hung Quoc
Keywords: Elderly Koreans Dancing and Dating in South Korea
