"Natural Aging"... Lotte Department Store Expands Pro-Aging Courses for Ages 50s and 60s

Spring Semester Opens at Lotte Culture Center on April 2
Fitness, Seasonal Cooking, Beauty & Styling Classes
Customized Programs Targeting the Middle-Aged Generation

Lotte Department Store announced on the 24th that it will introduce lectures with the theme of 'Pro-aging' targeting the 5060 generation in celebration of the spring semester opening of the Lotte Culture Center on the 2nd of next month. Pro-aging is a term opposite to 'Anti-aging,' which perceives aging negatively and tries to overcome it through artificial methods. It refers to a lifestyle trend that naturally accepts 'aging' while pursuing a healthier and more progressive life.

A fitness class tailored for the 5060 generation, held by Lotte Culture Center to mark the start of the spring semester. Provided by Lotte Department Store

First, customized fitness classes for the 5060 generation will be introduced. These classes are characterized by exercises that do not put strain on joints and the cardiovascular system, allowing for consistent enjoyment. The representative class is 'Teacher Deokjae’s Method to Correct Misaligned Posture and the Secret to Not Aging,' where participants can learn stretching and massage techniques for slow aging from a renowned rehabilitation exercise expert. Additionally, there is the 'Body Fit Strength Training Slow Aging Edition' class, conducted with influencer 'Jessi Unni,' famous on social media as the 'Menopause Guardian,' which offers tailored exercise programs for the 5060 generation and lifestyle habits necessary for healthy aging. Popular classes also include 'Slow Running' for safe running exercise, 'Animal Flow' to improve flexibility and strength, and 'Wellness Odaka Yoga' to relieve tension in body and mind.

A variety of seasonal food cooking classes that complete a healthy diet have also been prepared. Last year, the number of students attending cooking classes using seasonal ingredients at the Lotte Culture Center increased by 160% compared to the previous year, gaining tremendous popularity. Therefore, the classes have been diversified further, ranging from general home cooking to temple cuisine and dietary therapy. Representative classes include 'Spring Seasonal Food Making' with the famous seasonal cooking influencer 'Seasonal Food Research Institute,' 'Seasonal Table Set with Seasonal Vegetables' which uses seasonal vegetables from root to peel, 'Slow Aging Recipe' taught by temple cuisine master Monk Gyeongun, and 'How to Enjoy Meat Deliciously,' which explores the ketogenic diet?a dietary therapy that reduces carbohydrates and increases fats to lower insulin resistance in the body.

Beauty and styling classes that can maximize natural aging beauty are also being offered. While existing beauty and styling classes focused on introducing the latest trends targeting the 2030 generation, the new classes targeting the 5060 generation focus on expressing healthy beauty while naturally accepting aging. The representative class is 'Healthy Aging Skin & Anti-aging Care' with anti-aging specialist Director Kim Su-yeon, where participants can learn customized care methods suitable for the aging process with themes of regeneration, recovery, and healing. Other classes include 'Slow Aging Beauty, Mask Pack D.I.Y,' which examines the skin aging process and causes and teaches how to make customized mask packs easily at home, and '5060 Senior Hair Styling,' where participants can master natural daily hair care techniques.

The pro-aging trend surged during the COVID-19 period, when interest in health heightened, bringing many changes to the Lotte Culture Center. In fact, the proportion of 5060 generation students among all students at the Lotte Culture Center last year increased by 10 percentage points compared to before COVID-19 (2019), and wellness-related classes such as fitness rose to become the most popular, surpassing traditional singing classes and social dance classes among the 5060 generation students.

Park Sang-woo, Head of Sales Strategy at Lotte Department Store, said, "As the global life expectancy surpasses 100 years and approaches 120 years, the demand for pro-aging and wellness-related content is expected to continuously increase." He added, "We plan to provide customers with even more valuable experiences through culture center content that matches changing lifestyles."