From Healthy Eating to Cultural Experiences...
Strengthening Tailored Support for Middle-Aged Single-Person Households
Social Dining Program "Nowon E-Eumsik" to Address Dietary Imbalances,
and the "Samsam O-O" Project to Help Escape Solitary Dining for Middle-Aged Single-Person Households
Nowon District (District Mayor Oh Seungrok) announced that it is operating a variety of support programs to alleviate the sense of isolation and improve the dietary habits of the rapidly increasing number of middle-aged single-person households.
As of March 2025, single-person households account for 37.2% of all households in Nowon District, with middle-aged individuals making up 33.1% of this group. According to the "Seoul Single-Person Household Survey (2022)" published by the Seoul Institute, 65.4% of middle-aged single-person households reported feeling lonely, and 15.2% reported experiencing social isolation. Recently, dietary imbalance has also emerged as a prominent issue among single-person households.
In response, Nowon District is running various programs to improve the quality of life for middle-aged single-person households as part of a Seoul Metropolitan Government support initiative.
One such program is the social dining initiative "Nowon E-Eumsik." This project, whose name means "connecting people through food in Nowon," is jointly operated by the district and the Northern Comprehensive Social Welfare Center. It targets middle-aged single-person households who live in or are active in the Nowon area. Through cooking classes focused on healthy diets?such as low-salt, low-sugar, and low-calorie meals?the program aims to help participants improve their eating habits and create opportunities for social interaction with neighbors.
The program will be held over eight months, from April to November 2025. In addition to the regular cooking classes, there will be nine special events, including kimchi-making and traditional sauce-making workshops.
The district is also collaborating with the Nowon Single-Person Household Support Center to operate customized programs aimed at alleviating isolation and promoting healthy daily routines among middle-aged individuals.
The "Samsam O-O" project, designed to help middle-aged individuals escape solitary dining, organizes small groups of around 10 participants per session. Over four gatherings, participants share meals and take part in DIY activities to build a sense of camaraderie. Beyond simply eating together, the program also provides information on welfare, mental health, safety, and social networks, supporting both psychological stability and physical health. It will run for seven months, from May to November.
The "Friends Outside the Front Door" program encourages outdoor activities in a natural way. It will involve a total of eight sessions, with 30 participants each in the first and second halves of the year. Activities include visits to local attractions such as Hwarangdae Railroad Park, Bulamsan Healing Town Azalea Garden, and Nowon Art Museum (Masters of New York Exhibition). These excursions are designed to boost both physical and mental vitality, while also providing opportunities for ongoing interaction and communication among participants.
Meanwhile, in July of last year, the district established a "Single-Person Household Support Team" to oversee policies for single-person households. Going forward, the district plans to systematically organize related projects, which are currently dispersed across departments, and to build a dedicated information system on the district website. In addition, informational leaflets will be produced to help residents easily and conveniently access the information they need.
Oh Seungrok, Mayor of Nowon District, stated, "I hope that middle-aged single-person households can experience a sense of togetherness and regain warmth in their daily lives. We will continue to empathize with the realities faced by single-person households and pursue policies that lead to real, tangible changes."
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