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Korean Government to Turn Seniors' Life Stories Into Webtoons as Part of Intangible Cultural Heritage Project

Korean Heritage Service, a Korean government agency, has launched a new initiative to document the lives of elderly residents in regions facing population decline, with the collected stories to be adapted into digital content including webtoons and short-form videos.

The agency announced on June 23 that it has signed agreements with 10 university departments and research institutes participating in the inaugural K-Intangible Cultural Heritage Knowledge Resource Basic Survey project.

The initiative will document the lives of residents aged 75 to 90 living in areas at risk of depopulation, preserving their oral histories as digital resources. The collected material will be transformed into webtoons, short videos, and other digital content.

More than 100 students and young researchers specializing in intangible cultural heritage from 10 universities — including Seoul National University, Kangwon National University, and Chungbuk National University — will participate in the project.

Under the agreements, Korean Heritage Service and participating universities will establish regional research networks to share oral history archives and digital resources while promoting the value of Korea's intangible cultural heritage.

Source: Korean Heritage Service's press release