Introduction to the Demographic Shift in South Korea
In an aging and increasingly isolated South Korea, a new profession has emerged: home cleaners who tidy up residences after the death of their inhabitants. This shift reflects the country’s rapidly changing demographics, with nearly half of its population being 50 years or older and one of the lowest birth rates globally.
Students Prepare for Funeral Services
In a classroom in Busan, South Korea, students practice dressing mannequins in traditional funeral garments as part of their training to become future funeral agents. Jang Jin-yeong, a 27-year-old administration funeral studies student, sees this career path as increasingly relevant due to the aging society.
“With our society’s aging, I believe the demand for this type of work will only grow,” Jang explained.
Im Sae-jin, another 23-year-old student, chose this profession after his grandmother’s passing. He admired the meticulous preparation of her funeral.
The Rise of Solo Living and Dying
An increasing number of individuals in South Korea are living and dying alone, with one-person households accounting for around 42% of the total.
This trend has led to a new profession: cleaners who organize homes after the death of their residents.
Cho Eun-seok, a former classical musician at 47, has dealt with numerous residences where the occupants passed away months later. His homes, he describes, are “like portraits,” filled with carefully sealed bottles of soju and unopened gift boxes.
A cleaner organizing a home after the death of its occupant.
South Korea has the highest suicide rate among developed countries, and these unassisted deaths include suicides. Cho has even started receiving calls from car rental companies to clean vehicles where clients took their own lives.
In response, Cho developed a device to detect signs of unassisted deaths that could harm the environment, attract pests, or necessitate discarding entire households’ belongings.
“In just three days, the smell spreads rapidly,” he explained.
Beyond Cleaning: Preserving Memories
This mission extends beyond cleaning. Kim Seok-jung, another worker, once found unshared songs by a lyricist he was cleaning for and turned them into music.
Cho recalls a high school student who lived in a tiny “goshiwon” apartment to escape domestic violence. He cleaned her place monthly, as she was too depressed to do it herself.
Despite the clutter and maggots, she carefully tended to a small box and asked Cho never to discard it. A year later, she took her own life, and Cho discovered a hamster inside.
“I could only think of saving and keeping it alive,” he recounted.
“No matter how prepared you are, facing a deceased person is frightening,” Im confessed.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is driving the need for this new profession? South Korea’s rapidly aging population and low birth rate have led to more individuals living and dying alone, creating a demand for post-death home cleaning services.
- Who are the professionals providing these services? Individuals like Cho Eun-seok, former musicians, and students training in funeral services are taking on these roles.
- What unique challenges do these professionals face? They must deal with the emotional aspect of cleaning homes where someone has died alone, as well as potential environmental hazards.
- How do these cleaners go beyond their duties? Some, like Kim Seok-jung, have preserved memories by turning unshared creative works into something tangible.
