Hannah Yoon

Photographer

Korean Elderly Fashion

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Location: Philadelphia

Nationality: Canadian

Biography: Currently, a freelance photographer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. My background is in photojournalism and documentary photography. I am a graduate of the photojournalism program at Loyalist College. In 2014 I was the recipient of the Tom... MORE

Lee Pil-Woo, 84, stands outsid...to socialize with his friends.

Lee Pil-Woo, 84, stands outside at the Seoul Senior Centre in Seoul, South Korea. Lee comes often to socialize with his friends.

Lee Cha-Dol, 81, stands for a ...joys teaching others this art.

Lee Cha-Dol, 81, stands for a portrait in Tapgol Park in Seoul, South Korea. Lee is a traditional Korean calligraphy and fan teacher. He enjoys teaching others this art.

Lee Ok-Kyu, 78, shows off her ... putting her outfits together.

Lee Ok-Kyu, 78, shows off her accessories for the day at the Seoul City Centre in Seoul, South Korea. Since she doesn't have much to do during the day, she likes to put time into putting her outfits together.

Kim Jung Im, 88, sits inside t...d when she goes out in public.

Kim Jung Im, 88, sits inside the Seoul Senior Centre in Seoul, South Korea. Her daughter helped her select her clothes. Kim thinks it is important to look good when she goes out in public.

Choi Yoon-Ho shows off his fan...look nice going out."

Choi Yoon-Ho shows off his fancy suit in Seoul, South Korea on May 29, 2018. Choi makes sure to dress up everyday and show off his expensive clothes when he's in public. He spends his days at the Seoul Senior Center or at karaoke events with his friends. "You don't know how expensive this suit is. And my shoes. I spend a lot of money so I can look nice going out."

Jung Byung-Chul, 83, &nbsp...nt to preserve Korean history.

Jung Byung-Chul, 83, spends his time at his usual spot at the Seoul Senior Centre in Seoul, South Korea on May 29, 2018. Jung wears his Korean traditional clothes with pride because he believes it's important to preserve Korean history.

Chang Hyun-Sook sits on her sh...n though her children opposed.

Chang Hyun-Sook sits on her shopping cart in Seoul, South Korea on May 22, 2018 before she heads to a doctor's appointment. Chang thought it would be fun to dye her hair even though her children opposed.

Kim Kyu-Chul stands for a port...anguage classes at the center.

Kim Kyu-Chul stands for a portrait outside the Seoul Senior Center in Seoul, South Korea on May 29, 2018. Kim teaches Korean language classes at the center.

Nam Bang-Hee, 75, sits for a p...ed men gather to pass time by.

Nam Bang-Hee, 75, sits for a portrait in Tapgol Park in Seoul, South Korea. Nam comes to this park almost every day to spend time with his friends. This park is well known for where retired men gather to pass time by.

Kim Young-Hee, 90, is dressed ...ses to wear the Han-Bok often.

Kim Young-Hee, 90, is dressed in the Han-Bok, Korean traditional clothing. He is a Korean alphabet teacher. He doesn't feel comfortable in modern clothing so he chooses to wear the Han-Bok often.

Sohn Chan-Shik, 83, stands for... himself to society.

Sohn Chan-Shik, 83, stands for a portrait before he gets his lunch at the Seoul Senior Centre in Seoul, South Korea. Whether it is a full on white suit or dark purple suit, Sohn is always seen dressed up for the day. This is important for his dignity as he knows he's getting older and wants to present the best of himself to society.

Kim Hee-Chun, 76, shows off wh...gh volunteering in the office.

Kim Hee-Chun, 76, shows off what he is wearing in downtown Seoul, South Korea. Kim feels very healthy for his age and likes to take care of the way he looks. He is also very involved with the Seoul Senior Welfare Center through volunteering in the office.

Im Gyung-Hwan, 79, stands for ... active even though he is old.

Im Gyung-Hwan, 79, stands for a portrait at the Seoul Senior Center after playing a Korean version of croquet. Im can be seen playing this game every morning with his friends. He says its good to stay active even though he is old.

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Private Story

Korean Elderly Fashion

Copyright Hannah Yoon 2024

Updated Jan 2019

Topics Photography

Earlier this spring I worked on these elderly fashion portraits in Seoul, South Korea. Wherever I went in the city, I noticed the elderly were dressed incredibly well but it was also a lot of fun. I wanted to connect with a generation of Koreans I felt disconnected from since I never got to know my grandparents well. As I spoke with a few of them, they said dressing well was their way of having ownership of their bodies despite aging. It was their way of preserving their dignity. In 2014, the suicide rate of the elderly in South Korea was the highest in the OECD countries. Also, almost 50 percent of the elderly population lives in poverty. Despite these grave statistics, many persist, are active and want to be presentable in society. They do not want to be forgotten.

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Hannah Yoon

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