14 February 2024
A group of South Korean octogenarian rappers <> is becoming famous around the country with songs composed about rural lifestyles and farm life and is feeling again their youth.
These octogenarian rappers have become local celebrities since debuting in a community centre in August last year in Chilgok County, an area in North Gyeongsang province more than four hours drive from the capital city Seoul.
“It feels like I’m getting younger … Even if I’m old, I’m excited,” said Park Jeom-sun, 81, leader of the group and known as Suni, of a recent performance in a kindergarten.
After initially gaining a modest fan club of 150 people, the group’s fame spread beyond their county. They have been asked to perform in local towns and appear on TV shows, and their videos have garnered more than 77,000 views on YouTube.
Their success comes just as South Korea is expected to become a super-ageing” society as early as next year, with a fifth of its population above the age of 65. Rural areas like Chilgok have the greatest risk adding into irrelevance as young people move away to the cities and fewer of them have children.
Ref; Reuters
