The narrative discusses the phenomenon of "lonely death" - the death of an individual without any family members or close friends present. The story begins with an emergency report from a district unit in Yeongdo-gu, Busan, about a woman who died of starvation after her son, Mr. Choi, passed away seven months prior. The house was filled with spider webs, indicating no one had been around for a long time. The son was found to have led a secluded life after his mother's death, which led to his own demise. The narrative then shifts to the story of Mr. Kim, an elderly man who lived alone for over 30 years and died without any family members knowing his fate. His house was filled with newspapers and trash, indicating a lonely and isolated life. The narrative also discusses the increasing number of single-person households, particularly among the elderly, in Korea and Japan, which is contributing to the rising number of lonely deaths. The narrative concludes with the story of Jinseon Park, whose relationship with her father deteriorated after her marriage, leading to her father living a lonely life until his death. The narrative underscores the importance of maintaining human relationships to prevent such lonely deaths.
1. An emergency report was received from a district unit in Yeongdo-gu, Busan, detailing a situation where a woman, believed to be the biological mother of Mr. Choi, was found dead in her home.
2. The incident occurred in a densely packed area with multi-family houses lined up on the side of a mountain.
3. The house was in a state of disrepair, with mail stuck in the front door and a strong rotten smell inside.
4. The woman had been dead for several months, leading to her body being in a mummified state.
5. Mr. Choi, who also lived in the house, had died seven months prior to the discovery of the body.
6. The exact date of the woman's death is unclear, but a witness stated that the sun set on the 10th of March.
7. Mr. Choi had been living a secluded life, avoiding people and suffering severe hardships, following the death of his mother.
8. The woman had a family, but her troubles were unknown to them. She had surgery due to ill health and was under the guardianship of her stepmother.
9. The stepmother visited once in October of the current year, but the key was not there. She had no idea about her daughter-in-law's death during the 7 months Choi lived.
10. The woman lived separately because she was older, and her personality was considered introverted.
11. The text discusses the phenomenon of "lonely death," which refers to the death of a person without any blood relatives.
12. The text mentions a report of an elderly man living alone for over 30 years who recently passed away.
13. The man's house was found with windows wide open, despite the sudden cold.
14. The man's death became known due to complaints about the bad smell of the animals.
15. The man's house was filled with piles of trash, mostly animal feed, and newspapers that were decades old.
16. The man's life was known only after he passed away.
17. In some cases, the funeral is held without a single mourner because the deceased died without any ties.
18. The text discusses the concept of body waiver, a certificate that the deceased's family gives up the body.
19. The text provides the story of Mr. Kwon, who has lived a straight day without seeing his face even once in 9 years and has to pay for his younger brother's funeral.
20. The text discusses the concept of "loneliness without alcohol," stating it is difficult to feel loneliness without alcohol.
21. The text mentions a family in the midst of moving things, but strangely enough, no one in the picture is visible.
22. The text discusses the case of Grandpa Choi, who lived alone in a house and was hospitalized in a nearby nursing home due to an accident.
23. The text mentions that it's not a problem to just get rid of it, but after he passes away, you have to do it yourself.
24. The text discusses the concept of "single-person households" and their increase in number.
25. Experts say that single-person households are the cause of lonely death.
26. According to the National Statistical Office, the number of single-person households in Seoul has increased more than tenfold over the past 30 years.
27. The text provides the story of Mr. Lim, who lived alone in an underground single room in a village in northern Gyeonggi Province and was discovered 10 days after his death.
28. The text discusses the concept of "lonely death in foreign countries," stating that lonely people, if they are alone in some foreign country, take drugs or something like that.
29. The text provides the story of Mr. Lim, who dreamed of going into farming, also had a family.
30. The text discusses the concept of "lonely death in Japan," stating that Japan has a high interest in the business of organizing the belongings of the elderly who live alone around the world.