And Young, how young are you?

那 Young 呢，你今年幾歲？

Just a two year gap.

我們差兩歲。

Three, three years.

三年，差三年。

Why?

為什麼要這樣呢？

This is Sam, a retiree, and Young, a homemaker. 

他是 Sam，是位退休人士，而 Young 是一名家庭主婦。

I've come to stay with the couple in Seoul, South Korea.

我這次來到南韓首爾和這對夫婦一起住。

Their one and only son has grown up and moved out.

他們的獨生子已經長大並搬出去住了。

That means they have a lot of time on their hands.

這代表他們有很多空閒的時間。

They've converted their home into a guesthouse, and now host people from around the world, mostly through Airbnb, though they also get reservations from their website and through word-of-mouth.

他們把家裡轉變成為民宿，儘管他們有自己的網站或透過口耳相傳，不過現在主要還是透過 Airbnb 的預約，並接待來自各國的旅客。

Is this the Instagram spot?

這裡是 IG 的打卡熱點嗎？

Instagram spot, yes.

是的，IG 的打卡熱點。

Sam and Young are some of the many retirees in Korea turning their spare bedrooms into home-sharing opportunities, so they can make some income, but more importantly, meet new people and find purpose through work.

在韓國，有眾多退休人士如 Sam 和 Young 會把他們家裡多出來的房間作為房子共享空間。如此一來，他們可以賺點錢，更重要的是可以認識新的人和透過工作找到生活的重心。

Over the next three days, I'm staying with them to learn how hosting helps combat loneliness in a country with a dramatically aging population.

接下來的三天，我會跟著他們學習如何在一個人口急劇老化的國家裡，透過接待旅客來消除孤獨感。

Uptin?

Uptin？

Yes - Ah, nice to meet you.

很高興認識你。

Hi, nice to meet you.

嗨，很高興認識你。

Just call me Sam.

叫我 Sam 就可以了。

Sam?

Sam？

Yes.

對。

It's my first time to Korea.

這是我第一次來韓國。

Oh okay.

噢，了解。

I can, I can get it.

我可以自己拿。

Oh, no problem.

沒關係。

I'm still strong.

我還是很健壯的。

Welcome, hi, hi.

歡迎歡迎。

Nice to meet you, my name is Young.

很高興認識你，我是 Young。

This is my son.

這是我兒子。

I was immediately surprised at the warmth of Sam & Young.

我馬上就對 Sam 和 Young 的熱情招待感到驚喜。

It was certainly not like a business for them at all. It was really much more than that.

對他們來說這不像門生意，它的意義遠超於此。

I took my wife to the top of the mountain and then I asked my wife to marry me, and I got permission from her.

我帶我太太爬那座山，並在山頂跟她求婚，她也在上面答應了我。

So that mountain, that's the magic spot.

所以那座山是一個很神奇的地方。

Yes.

對。

Sam and Young have invited me to go to lunch with them at a restaurant just near their house.

Sam 和 Young 邀請我到他們家附近的餐廳吃飯。

Sam spent his entire career at Hyundai Merchant Marine, which is one of the world's largest container shipping companies.

Sam 畢生事業都投入於現代商船 (Hyundai Merchant Marine)，這家企業是世界最大的海運公司之一。

The older we get, the less we get a chance to meet young people.

我們年紀愈大，愈少機會可以認識年輕人。

He retired five years ago at 57.

五年前，他 57 歲時退休。

From the guest house operation, I can listen to many foreigners' life story.

透過經營民宿，我可以多聆聽不少外國朋友的生活故事。

But he thinks retiring in your 50s or 60s is too early and that it should be done when someone reaches their 70s.

不過他認為 50 幾或 60 幾歲就退休有點太早，其實可以 70 歲才退休。

He says most of his friends who retire spend their time worrying about their future.

他表示他大部分退休的朋友都花很多時間在擔心未來。

South Korea is facing an aging crisis. Its population is getting older and the birth rate is slowing.

南韓在面臨人口老化的問題，國家人口逐漸老化但出生率增長速度緩慢。

South Korea is currently aging faster than any other developed country, and by 2050, more than a third of its population will be over the age of 65.

現在南韓的人口老化速度比其他已發展國家快，至 2050 年，超過三分之一的人口年齡會超過 65 歲。

Many employers in South Korea are often reluctant to retain their older employees.

在南韓，有不少老闆都不太願意留住年紀較大的員工。

It's not uncommon to set a mandatory retirement age, sometimes as young as 55.

公司設定強制退休年齡也不是什麼新鮮事，有的退休年齡可能年僅 55 歲。

Crimes committed by the elderly in South Korea is also surging in part due to the rising elderly poverty rates and social isolation.

南韓的長者犯罪率急升，有部分原因是因為老年人的貧困率上升以及感到社交孤立。

Meanwhile, countries like Japan and Singapore are also grappling with aging populations.

與此同時，有的國家像日本和新加坡政府也在設法處理人口老化的問題。

Come 2030, Singapore will raise its retirement age to 65, while Japan is planning to raise its retirement age from 65 to 70, or even 75.

到 2030 年，新加坡會把退休年齡往後推至 65 歲，而日本也可能把退休年齡提高至 65 至 70 歲間，甚至有可能是 75 歲。

JongHee works for Airbnb in South Korea and says the stereotype of a 'senior' is changing.

JongHee 在南韓的 Airbnb 工作，她表示大家對於「老年人」的刻版印象正在改變。

The world is changing, and the senior is also changing. 

世界正在改變，而他們也同時在改變。

They have an open mind(ed).

他們變得很開明。

They can become a very good Airbnb host to share their life.

他們可以成為很好的 Airbnb 房東，跟大家分享生活。

Airbnb refers to people over 60 as 'active seniors.' It's the fastest-growing age group for Airbnb hosts.

Airbnb 把 60 歲以上的房東稱為「活躍的長者」，這年齡層的房東在 Airbnb 快速增長。

Active seniors receive the most  five-star reviews by their guests when compared to younger generation hosts.

與年輕的房東相比，活躍的長者獲得最多 5 星好評。

Globally, 85% of reviews for senior hosts are five stars.

綜合全球，給年長房東的評價中有 85% 是 5 星。

And it's a hot growing sector.

這行業開始變得愈來愈夯。

In the past 12 months, senior hosts in South Korea welcomed more than 350,000 guests, a whopping 75% increase from the previous year.

過去的 12 個月，南韓的年長房東接待了超過 350,000 的旅客，比去年的激增了 75%。

I see my father's generation, my mother's generation, they devoted their whole life to develop this country, but at the end of their senior lives, they are not very active and happy.

我看到我爸爸媽媽那一輩的，他們畢生都致力於發展國家，但在他們離開前，其實生活一點都不開心、不活躍。

But if they have an opportunity for their second life, you share your wisdom with others, you share your life story in Korea with all foreigners.

倘若給他們第二次人生的機會，可以跟其他人分享自己的生活智慧，和外國旅客分享韓國的生活。

She says Airbnb does little marketing to seniors, and they often find out about hosting through word-of-mouth.

她說 Airbnb 很少對長者推銷，他們之所以取得當房東的機會都是靠口耳相傳。

I can communicate with young people from a foreign country.

我可以和來自外國的年輕人溝通。

I am happy.

我很開心。

Sam tells me that 10 years ago there was no concept of guest houses in South Korea, but now the idea is becoming increasingly popular.

Sam 告訴我，10 年前南韓人對民宿沒有任何概念，但現在大家對這概念已經有愈來愈多了解。

It says 'guest house' here so is this competition?

話說這也是民宿，那這樣算競爭嗎？

No, no, collaboration.

不，是合作。

Frenemy?

亦敵亦友的關係？

Frenemy!

亦敵亦友。

A few years ago, their son Andy moved out.

幾年前，他們的兒子 Andy 搬離家裡。

The young generation all over the world, they don't want to get married and that's a problem.

全世界的年輕人，他們都不想結婚，這就是問題所在。

Also they don't want to deliver their baby.

而且他們也不想生小孩。

And even though they have their differences, Andy and his parents agree that hosting has been good for them.

儘管他們在這些思想上有差異，不過 Andy 和他的父母都認同接待的工作對他們是有好處的。

Keeping themselves busy after retiring.

讓他們退休後依然有事情做。

I think that's making them still young.

我認為可以令他們保持年輕。

Andy could be right.

Andy 說得也許是對的。

Researchers have found that being social is linked to improved health and even an extended life.

有研究指出，社交生活與改善健康和長壽是有關係的。

People with strong social relationships are 50% more likely to live longer.

具有良好社交關係的人，他們活得更長久的可能性會比一般人有多 50%。

I can't help but notice how social Sam & Young are, not just with me, but nearly everyone they see.

我注意到 Sam 和 Young 很善於與人交往，不只是和我，而是和他們身邊遇到的人。

We just met the new neighbor!

我們剛遇到新鄰居！

Yeah, we have to welcome them.

我們要去跟他們打個招呼。

Think she'll be a good neighbor?

覺得她會是個好鄰居嗎？

Yes!

是的！

So we just met a couple from Indonesia during our walk.

我們剛在散步的時候遇到一對來自印尼的情侶。

Sam told them about his guesthouse and even gave them a business card.

Sam 跟他們介紹自己的民宿，還給了一張名片。

It's really neat to be able to go through a local neighborhood like this.

可以這樣穿梭在本地社區的體驗真的很棒。

Even if I did discover something like this on a Google or TripAdvisor, I wouldn't have the local knowledge to actually see and hear the stories behind the town.

即使我在 Google 或是 TripAdvisor 的網站上找到這些地方，但因為我對當地了解不夠而無法聽到或看到屬於這城市背後的故事。

That wall is famous. That wall, see the wall, Hanyang?

那道牆很有名。就是那道牆，Hanyang 你看到那道牆了嗎？

You can always tell when someone lights up when they're doing something they love and I really got that sense.

一個人只要在做自己喜歡的事的時候，會很明顯看得出來他們臉上的愉悅，這一點我真的感受到。

Even though it was a lot of work, they took such pride in everything they did, and it was kind of inspiring actually.

儘管工作量大，不過他們對自己所做的一切而感到自豪，這是很值得感到欣慰。

Main purpose of our life is I would like to see my family members happy. That's my main purpose.

我們主要的人生目的就是，我希望看到我的家人開心生活，這就是我的意義。

So many times we think of retirement as this big dream, that once we get to retirement we don't have to work, but seeing how enriched their life is because they now have a second chapter was really inspiring.

我們曾經多次把退休視為遠大的夢想，退休後不用工作，但看到他們因翻開了人生新的一頁而讓生活得更多采多姿，這確實是很鼓舞人心。

And it actually makes me think that maybe we're thinking of retirement in the wrong kind of way, of course, the idea of it providing financial freedom is great, but at the end of the day, work can provide so much meaning and purpose to people,and I think it was really evident in watching Sam and Young.

而且也讓我發現大家對退休的想像都錯了，當然財務自由這想法很棒，不過最終其實工作可以帶給我們很多的意義和目標，我認為 Sam 和 Young 的例子就是最好的證明。

Hey guys, it's Uptin, thanks for watching.

大家好，我是 Uptin，謝謝大家收看！

Check out more videos on your right and while you're at it, subscribe to our channel.

點選右邊可以收看更多影片，記得要訂閱我們的頻道。

I'll see you next time.

下次再見！