Even With a 900 Million Won Deposit and 2.5 Million Won Monthly Living Expenses, Residents Say "It's Good to Be Taken Care Of"... Inside a Luxury Silver Town [Opening Silver Housing]

[On-site Report] From Meals and Nursing to Swimming Pools...
Why Seniors Are Paying for Hotel-Level Services: Communities That Ease Loneliness Compete Despite High Deposits

Residents are enjoying basketball at the sports facility within Baegunhosu Prugio Forest Morning in Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Seo Yoon Choi

Choi Jinhee, 74, who lived in the United States before moving into "Baegunhosu Prugio Forest Morning" (hereafter "Forest Morning") in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province with her husband after retirement, said, "As you get older, the thing you dislike the most is cooking and cleaning," adding, "Now that I've been freed from housework and am being treated well, I feel great."

Every morning, she attends a gymnastics class. During the day, she plays table tennis and golf with other residents. On Wednesdays and Fridays, she learns line dancing. Choi said, "If you live here, there’s no time to feel depressed or bored."

Seo Hyeeun, 95, moved into "Wirye Symphonia" (hereafter "Symphonia") in Songpa-gu, Seoul two months ago after losing his wife. Seo said, "I no longer need honor or have any greed," adding, "I came here because I want to live out my life in good health."

Interior view of a bathroom at Wirye Symphonia in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Safety handrails are installed around the toilet, and an emergency call bell is placed at the bottom to prepare for emergencies such as falls. Photo by Seoyoon Choi

Older adults are opening their wallets in order to escape decades of housework and to receive immediate medical attention in case of emergencies.

So-called active seniors—those aged 50 and above with financial resources who enjoy their own lifestyles—are choosing quality of life even if it means paying security deposits in the hundreds of millions of won and monthly living expenses in the millions of won.

According to interviews with residents at recent senior living communities, there were three main reasons for choosing the unfamiliar senior residence model.

They want to escape housework, prepare for emergencies, and socialize with others. Most residents find out about these communities through voluntary searches online, on YouTube, or via word-of-mouth recommendations.

Inside a unit of Wirye Symphonia in Songpa-gu, Seoul. A no-motion sensor that detects abnormal signs when there is no movement for a certain period is installed at the upper right wall, and an emergency call bell is installed at the lower part for urgent situations. Photo by Choi Seoyoon

The majority of residents relocated from neighborhoods near where they previously lived. Their backgrounds were diverse, including former ministers, legal professionals, and company CEOs.

Kim Jonggil, CEO of Symphonia, explained, "Since major conglomerates entered the market and marketing became more active, interest has broadened."

At Forest Morning, the deposit per person ranges from 596 million to 995 million won, and monthly living expenses are between 1.9 million and 2.5 million won. The deposit is fixed for four years.

At Symphonia, the deposit is between 550 million and 1.1 billion won, and monthly living expenses are between 2.3 million and 3.35 million won. There is also a deferred deposit program. To reduce residents' anxiety, the company issues a deposit return assurance letter in its name. Both places have a mandatory minimum residence period of two years.

Interior of a 5-star Marriott Executive Apartments room in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. The residence-style layout separates the living room, bedroom, and dining area. Household appliances such as a washer, dryer, water purifier, and microwave are also provided. Photo by Seo-Yoon Choi

There are also alternatives for older adults who find a security deposit of several hundred million won burdensome or are reluctant to sign long-term contracts. One such product utilizes long-term stays at luxury hotels.

The "Golden Senior" package at the five-star Marriott in Yeouido is a representative example. The conditions are 55 years of age or older and a minimum stay of 30 nights. The rate is around 300,000 won per night. Except for a 500,000 won deposit, which is returned upon checkout, there is no security deposit.

Under the Welfare of the Aged Act, "silvertowns" are classified as residential, not care facilities, so there is no mandatory requirement for resident nurses. The only required staff at the time of establishment are one facility manager and one social worker.

However, high-end facilities employ medical staff at their own expense.

Forest Morning has five nurses working in shifts so that one is on duty 24 hours a day. There are 20 to 30 health consultations per day. Kang Taegeon, CEO of Empore (an MDM Group affiliate), which operates Forest Morning, said, "Sometimes residents get bone injuries while playing table tennis or suddenly experience muscle stiffness."

Residents are receiving health consultations with a nurse at 'Baegunhosu Prugio Forest Morning' in Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi Province. In the background, other residents are undergoing body composition tests such as InBody. Photo by Seo-yoon Choi

Symphonia provides 50 meals per month. Every Monday, residents hold a menu meeting to manage satisfaction. They put a lot of effort into the meals, with residents commenting that "it tastes like a home-cooked meal made by my mother."

Forest Morning provides 30 meals per month, with meals prepared by Ourhome, Korea’s second-largest food distributor.

Marriott offers a breakfast buffet with 132 menu items, using animal welfare and eco-friendly certified ingredients. For regular guests, the price is 50,000 won per person.

Community facilities are more than just spaces for exercise—they serve as venues for social interaction. Forest Morning features a swimming pool, which is rare for a senior living community. There are also 14 resident-run clubs such as billiards and Go.

Symphonia not only offers programs with external instructors but also has welfare workers and nurses organize their own programs.

At Marriott Yeouido, the "Soo Fitness & Spa" is open to guests without limit. Normally, this facility requires a membership deposit of 50 million won and an annual fee of around 4.6 million won.

Resident complaints are handled quickly. At Forest Morning, if a verbal complaint is received, it is immediately shared in a group chat with staff from six relevant departments. Complaints received through the app are answered within two days.

At Symphonia, five social workers are responsible for managing 102 households, lowering the number of households per staff member to about 20. Through this approach, they provide personalized services that consider each resident’s personality, health status, and dietary preferences.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.