[2025 Unclaimed Deaths Report⑨] A Father Left Alone Chooses a Funeral Director

Those Who Chose a Pre-Designated Funeral Director
Pre-Funeral Director Designation Project Launched in Dong-gu, Busan
Preventing Administrative Confusion and Helping Ensure a Dignified End

"While working as a general manager at a goshiwon, I have seen far too many people leave this world alone and in solitude."

On the 27th of last month, Sangmoon Park (57), who participated in the pre-funeral director designation project, is walking out in the hallway of a goshiwon in Dong-gu, Busan. Photo by Seungwook Park

On November 27, in Beomil-dong, Dong-gu, Busan, Sangmoon Park (57) calmly explained his reasons for participating in the pre-funeral director designation project. This project allows people without close relations to designate, in advance, an individual or organization to be responsible for their funeral. The aim is to prevent administrative confusion after death and to help ensure that the deceased can end their lives with dignity.

This June, Park selected a funeral director as his pre-designated funeral director. He said, "Whenever someone passed away at the goshiwon, I would ask the funeral director who helped with the arrangements to handle my own funeral as well," and added, "The only family members I can contact are my son and my mother, but since both are in Canada, I am essentially without any close relations here in Korea." He also left a will with the funeral director, asking them to inform his son of his passing.

Park was not always without close relations. In addition to his son and elderly mother, he once had a wife. However, in 2020, he lost his entire fortune of 600 million won due to a voice phishing scam and a real estate fraud, which led to a divorce. When his son later moved to Canada to be with his mother, Park was left alone.

Park said, "My back, neck, and my entire body are in poor condition, so I receive hospital treatment every day. As my health deteriorated, I began to realize that I, too, could die at any time," and added, "There are so many people without close relations and elderly people living alone at the goshiwon. Seeing them, I started to worry about what would happen to my own funeral if I died without any family to contact."

He now recommends that others living in goshiwons also designate a pre-funeral director. Park said, "Most of them have failed in business or have health problems, so they rarely go outside and end up isolated," and continued, "I try to help them at least decide who will handle their funeral in case something unexpected happens."

On the 27th of last month, Sangmoon Park (57), who participated in the pre-funeral director designation project, is explaining his reasons for joining the project at a cafe in Dong-gu, Busan. Photo by Seungwook Park

Park explained, "When people living in goshiwons pass away, most of them have public funerals, and usually, there are only two or three pieces of fruit placed at the memorial altar," and continued, "Personally, since it is their final journey, I hope there will be at least a little more food placed there, which is why I encourage them to designate someone to conduct their funeral." He added, "Currently, we have formed a self-help group, and among recipients of basic living support or people without close relations, we collect small amounts of money so that we can at least add one more piece of fruit at the funeral."

The pre-funeral director designation project, which began in Dong-gu, Busan, has now expanded throughout the city. So far, 20 people have completed the process of designating a pre-funeral director. However, there are concerns that the system could become ineffective if the designated funeral director passes away first, or if the applicant dies after a long period and their contact information changes, making it impossible to reach them.

An official from Busan City said, "We plan to hold a related council meeting early next year to discuss future operational plans," and added, "Since the system was only recently introduced, there is a need for extensive discussions on everything from promotion to management measures."