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Luxury retirement communities are bringing older expats back to Korea

Published: 15 Aug. 2025, 07:00 Updated: 15 Aug. 2025, 11:10

JIN MIN-JI
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Hwang Eun-ja, who returned to Korea after roughly four decades in the United States, is pictured in the lobby of the KB Golden Life Pyeongchang County in central Seoul on Aug. 7. She lives at the hotel-themed senior residence with her husband. [PARK SANG-MOON]

When Hwang Eun-ja came back to Korea after roughly four decades in the United States, she believed she could take care of herself and her husband.

Hwang, an 81-year-old missionary, had moved overseas in the 1980s for the sake of her children's education. Now that they're living on their own — as a doctor, a pharmacist and CEO respectively — she returned to the home country in 2015.

Almost a decade later, her husband, a former pastor-turned-missionary, began requiring her help to get around. The physical exertion began to take its toll on Hwang, who was then 80. “My wrist began to hurt badly from constantly pushing his wheelchair,” she said.

So her children suggested she move to KB Golden Life Pyeongchang County, a hotel-style retirement community in central Seoul's exclusive neighborhood of Pyeongchang-dong, the turf of corporate executives. Roughly 20 percent of its residents are expats who have returned to Korea.

Hwang is one of many older Korean adults who move to retirement communities, seeking not only care, but also a sense of companionship. These spaces have become vibrant social hubs for some and a warm homecoming after decades spent abroad for others.

Now, she regrets not having come in sooner. She enjoys the regular meals, the spa and the gym where she receives personal training. Her sugar level has significantly improved after moving in, which “surprised my doctor,” she said with a laugh.

Hwang paid a 30 million won ($22,000) deposit — making KB Golden Life more affordable than many senior residences in greater Seoul — and now pays 6 million won a month for herself and her husband, which covers accommodation and some meals.

When asked why she came all the way to Korea, instead of moving into a senior resident in the United States, she said that "“Life in general is much more convenient in Korea when you grow old."

Hwang said that easy access to medical care — unlike in the United States, where even routine treatment can be prohibitively expensive — and Korea’s well-established public transportation system, which eliminates the need to drive, also help her find Korea satisfying in her later years.

“You can speak the language,” Hwang said. “You miss that. And Korea is beautiful. It’s small and charming. Everywhere you go, there are little, lovely details. That’s why many mothers come back here with a longing for their hometown.”

Park Ok-soon, a resident of Seoul Seniors Tower Gayang Town in western Seoul, is pictured at the retirement community's gallery on Aug. 4. The 78-year-old professor emeritus of environmental sculpture at Kyonggi University organized the sculptures on display. [JIN MIN-JI]

Policy regarding retirement communities started to appear in the 1970s and has evolved along with Korea's aging society.

But the number of facilities remains low. In 2023, there were just 40 housing facilities, apart from nursing homes, for older adults nationwide that could accommodate 9,006 people, according to Ministry of Health and Welfare data.

Still, that's a large enough community to be a meaningful draw: Many adults who move in do so for companionship and care.

“We exchange backgrounds, knowledge and experience,” said Park Ok-soon, a 78-year-old resident of Seoul Seniors Gayang Tower in western Seoul.

Park, a retired art professor, and her husband, a former soldier, rented out their apartment in Yeouido, western Seoul, and moved into the residence after the latter's health began to decline.

For the couple, “the makeup of the community” was one of the deciding factors when choosing a retirement community.

People from all walks of life make up the community, including a former composer, a teacher and an author, according to Kim Hyun-ji, a team leader at the residence. They put on singing performances, host book signings and offer services such as music lessons.

Park, like Hwang, also loves the community's amenities, which include a gallery, a swimming pool, a gym and an art hall. She serves as an adviser at the gallery and keeps busy planning and organizing its monthly exhibitions.

“A lot of wealthy people dream of owning their own gallery,” she said. “I’m not wealthy enough to run my own gallery, but the senior residence makes me feel that way. It feels like I've become the master of a huge mansion.”

BY JIN MIN-JI [[email protected]]