Why are more men in their 50s to 70s putting on aprons?

Participants in the "Kitchen Independence for Middle-aged Men — Today, I'm the Chef" cooking class prepare sandwiches at a shared kitchen in Seoul's Seodaemun District, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Kim Ji-seop

By Hankookilbo

• Published Jul 18, 2026 12:00 AM KST

Cooking class helps older men gain kitchen independence, share household responsibilities

"Will this be okay? They all came out different shapes."

"What should I do? The filling is spilling out."

Inside a shared kitchen in Seoul's Seodaemun District on Sunday, 15 middle-aged and older men wearing aprons looked anxiously at the blueberry muffins and ham-and-cheese sandwiches they were making. The muffin batter had been piped unevenly into the molds, and sandwich fillings spilled out from the sides. But as the freshly baked muffins emerged from the oven, filling the room with the aroma of butter, laughter broke out. Eager to share their creations with their families, the participants hurried home with the food they had made.

The district's cooking program, "Kitchen Independence for Middle-aged Men — Today, I'm the Chef," has attracted men in their 50s to 70s preparing for the next chapter of their lives. The theme of Sunday's class was "Men Who Bake Bread." Although mixing batter and piping it into molds were unfamiliar tasks, the participants carefully completed each step despite their inexperience.

Looking at his finished muffins, one participant said with a smile, "Bread tastes best when it's warm. I need to hurry home and give these to my wife."

For these men, many of whom had spent decades away from the kitchen, the class is about more than learning to cook. It is an opportunity to build a new routine after retirement and ease the burden on spouses who have cared for their families for years.

Choi, a man who retired in his mid-50s several years ago, said his wife encouraged him to take up cooking after their son left to study in the United States.

"After our son went abroad, my wife experienced empty nest syndrome and told me, 'I want a little more freedom now. Why don't you learn how to cook?'" he said. "Now I make stews and egg dishes, and I prepare meals three or four times a week."

The youngest participant, Han Kwang-soo, 45, said cooking has become a practical way to help his family.

"Homemade meals are better for my children than delivery food, and I can make good use of the ingredients we already have in the refrigerator, which also helps my wife," he said. "I used to make only simple dishes while camping, but now I think I'll be able to make rolled omelets and sandwiches that my kids enjoy."

The cooking class is the first project funded this year through Seodaemun District's participatory budgeting program, under which residents propose and help shape community initiatives.

Designed for an aging society, the program aims to help middle-aged and older men become more self-sufficient in household chores, develop healthier eating habits and strengthen communication with family members and neighbors.

Bae Sung-jin, 65, who proposed the program, said he was inspired by reports about the social isolation experienced by elderly men and middle-aged men living alone.

"Whenever I heard about middle-aged single-person households or elderly people living alone becoming socially isolated, I thought that knowing how to cook might make their lives a little better," he said.

Following strong responses to the "60s and 70s Weekday Class" and the "50s and 60s Weekend Class" held in June and July, the district is considering continuing the program next year.

Seodaemun District Mayor Park Woon-ki said the initiative is especially meaningful because it was proposed and developed by residents themselves through the participatory budgeting process.

"We will continue expanding resident-centered lifelong learning opportunities that people can truly benefit from," he said.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.