From breakfast buffets to life advice, Korea’s older YouTubers are thriving online

Sunwoo Yong-yeo / Captured from Sunwoo's YouTube channel

“Who am I living for?” actress Sunwoo Yong-yeo asks in a recent video, then hops into her Mercedes-Benz and heads to a five-star hotel for breakfast alone. At age 80, the veteran performer is rewriting the script on aging, and her vibrant, candid lifestyle is resonating with viewers across generations.

Just over two weeks after launching her YouTube channel, Soonpoong Sunwoo Yong-yeo, on April 24, Sunwoo has already amassed more than 144,000 subscribers as of May 12. Her channel — described as a one-of-a-kind space “filled with laughter, tears, and life wisdom” — is gaining traction for its honest portrayal of older adult life that is healthy, independent, and full of personality.

Sunwoo Yong-yeo / Captured from Sunwoo's YouTube channel

In one popular video, which has surpassed 2.9 million views, Sunwoo drives herself to a hotel buffet, enjoying a colorful spread of vegetables and grains. “If I buy all this just for myself, I end up wasting it,” she says. “For just a little more money, I can eat hotel breakfast — and it’s better for me.” She adds with her signature candor, “What’s the point of saving money when it’s for your health? You can wear clothes that cost 10 million won ($7,300), but if you eat like a beggar, it’s pointless.”

The actress, who debuted in 1965 as a dancer with TBC, opens up about her life in the videos — from marrying her husband against her parents’ wishes and raising two children alone after his passing, to working tirelessly in the U.S. to support her family, including running a sewing factory and restaurant. She also shares stories of financial success through real estate investment, as well as her personal health tips.

Sunwoo’s philosophy is simple: eat well, live joyfully, and stay active. “Don’t just sit at home,” she urges her peers. “Get out there, anywhere.” To younger viewers, she offers encouragement: “If you only complain when life gets hard, good things will walk right past you. Endure the hardship.”

Comments on her videos reflect the wide appeal: “It gives me hope that someone this happy exists in Korea,” wrote one viewer. “I want to become a cool grandmother like her.” One user declared her their “life role model,” prompting Sunwoo herself to hit the “like” button.

Older YouTubers rise in popularity for wisdom and lifestyle inspiration

Jang Myung-sook / Captured from Jang's YouTube channel

Sunwoo isn’t alone in this trend. A growing number of older creators are finding success on YouTube, sharing life advice and showing what it means to age gracefully.

Fashion designer Jang Myung-sook, 73, runs the channel “Milanonna,” which has over 980,000 subscribers. Drawing from her four decades in fashion, Jang offers advice on refined aging, travel tips for older adults and thoughtful family communication.

Another fan favorite is Park Mak-rye (78), whose channel has 1.15 million subscribers. Known for her warm humor and heartfelt cooking sessions with her granddaughter, she has become a beloved internet personality. Meanwhile, Lim Soon-ja, 65, the star of “Soonja Mom,” shares funny and relatable moments from her multigenerational household. Her channel has attracted over 1.25 million subscribers.

“I watch older YouTubers to learn about life wisdom and how to age with grace,” said 22-year-old college student Kwon Chan-young. “They make me think about what it really means to grow older in a meaningful way.”

Yoon Seok-jin, a professor of Korean literature at Chungnam National University, sees this movement as a positive shift. “Older generations, once expected to sacrifice for their families, are now expressing their voices and engaging with society,” he said. “Their stories and experiences resonate with young people in new and powerful ways.”

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.