AGE•ING ATLAS

Words & Pictures: Kaon Kim | Maps: openstreetmap.org & map-stylizer by Absolute-Tinkerer

Talking about old age can be frightening. Getting old is often associated with weakness, loneliness, ugliness, and boredom. In most contemporary cultures, staying young both from the look and lifestyle is a big topic of interest. The truth is, no matter what anti-ageing procedures we take, we all eventually become old. In fact, our lifetime as an old person is getting longer. The statistics show that the number of people over 80 years is going to increase more than threefold in the next three decades (UN, 2017). Never before have people lived longer than today thanks to improved living conditions, hygiene, and preventive health care. The world’s institutions of different levels are adapting to this demographic shift in their policies in terms of infrastructure, healthcare system, as well as community building. However, there is less attention paid to the consequences the longer lifespan brings to what it means to be old. How the media is projecting a person in his mid-sixties, for example, has not changed much from the time when we were expected to live only for few years further. Now that we expect to live another 20 years after retirement, we have to search for new models by which to grow old, and challenge stereotypes that there is only one way of doing so.

ICN AIRPORT

Atlas of Jinhan (67)—time spent in a week

Since the airport express line became free for the seniors, I like to go to the airport and enjoy free concerts and also simply watch people.

JEGIDONG Here I go talk to the ladies in cafés or dance floors.

SEOUL STATION In the waiting area I talk to people and watch TV.

TAPGOL PARK

Without making appointments I find my friends here. The park offers free concerts and sports classes. The neighborhood is inexpensive.

1h 3h

1.5h 1.5h 1.5h 3h

S CHILDE R GAS S E S T A D T W A LD

4h 1h 1h

FITNESS CENTER D A UGHTER

KINDERGARDEN I read books to children once a week as a senior volunteer.

PLAYGROUND This is the place where I have some chats with my neighbors once in a while. P L A Y G R OUND MA R KET KINDE R G A RDEN

STADTWALD When the weather is nice, I call my friends to join my walk in the forest.

Atlas of Hildegard (71)—time spent in a week