By Kang Gahui and Kim Hwaya

YouTube content creator Park Mak-rye, 73, has drawn attention from the CEOs of Google and YouTube. Ji Byung-soo, 77, rose to stardom after singing "Crazy" by K-pop diva Son Dam-bi on a TV singing contest. And Kim Chil-doo, 65, the owner of a blood sausage rice soup restaurant, is living his dream of being a fashion model.

These senior citizens have grabbed headlines during what is supposed to be their twilight years and are affecting the entertainment scene. The number of TV reality shows featuring those above age 65 is increasing such as the travel-themed "Grandpas over Flowers," which stars four veteran actors in their 70s, and "The Chilgok Gashinas," featuring illiterate elderly women who are learning the Korean alphabet Hangeul.

The rise of elderly stars in entertainment has led to new buzzwords such as "gray crush" and "active seniors," referring to those of the silver generation who seek cool lifestyles.

Last year, Korea's average life expectancy was 82.7 years as the country became an aged society as those over age 65 accounted for 14.3% of the population. In February this year, the Supreme Court raised the legal retirement age from 60 to 65.

Given the country's longer life expectancy, the elderly's attitude toward life has seen major changes. Because of more free time after retirement, senior citizens are participating in learning, shopping and cultural experiences, and some even try new jobs based on their talent and experience.

Choi Soon-hwa, who at 77 is the country's oldest professional fashion model, said, “I worked at a hospital as a care worker but tried the new job of senior citizen model at a patient's suggestion," adding, "I feel happy more often than before because I love this modeling job."

Choi was the first elderly model in Seoul Fashion Week's history to walk the runway.



Seniors are also taking courses offered by the central and provincial governments to train for new jobs.

Kim Myeong-suk, a 74-year-old barista at a café in downtown Seoul, said, "Working is really rewarding," adding, "I want to work as much as possible because taking money and giving back change can help prevent dementia."

Her coworker Kang Hwa-ja, 64, said "For the future, I'm taking courses on being a lifelong educator and lecturer. I also work as a cheerleader and home shopping model as well as a barista."

Korean society's perceptions of the elderly are also changing. Seniors were often considered bossy, conservative and passive but young people call those who want to follow the latest trends and lifestyles "new" and "interesting." The younger generation is even finding content made by active seniors to consume and regenerate.

The social media accounts of these elderly influencers are filled with comments such as "My role model for whom age is nothing but a number," "My dream after 30 years" and "I wanna grow old like this."

Hur Jun-soo, a professor of social welfare at Soongsil University in Seoul, said, "The stages of life for the elderly will be diversified and a social atmosphere for inter-generational communication will be established."

"These kinds of two-way communication will play a role in narrowing generational gaps in the aged society."

kgh89@korea.kr