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Elderly citizens enjoy a meal together at the official opening of the Hansotbap Café in the Gwangsan District of Gwangju on Feb. 9. (provided by Gwangsan District Office)
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The Hansotbap Café provides seniors with a low price meal and a chance to make new friends
“It’s nice not to have to eat dinner by myself,” said 56-year-old Kim An-sik, who doesn’t have to worry as much about fixing dinner these days. Kim, who has a Level-1 mental disability, lives in a permanent rental apartment provided by the public in the Usan neighborhood of Gwangju’s Gwangsan District. He moved into the 39.7m2 apartment in 1992 and has been living there ever since by himself, without any family members. He fixes his own breakfast and gets some help for lunch from a social worker. But whenever evening approached, he never knew what to have for dinner and would usually just throw something together.
But now even Kim gets to enjoy a proper evening meal, thanks to a new restaurant that opened up at a social welfare center in the Hanam Jugong Permanent Rental Apartment Complex. Hansotbap Café, (“hansotbap” means “rice served from the same pot”) on the first floor of the social welfare center, is a community restaurant. Monday through Friday, the café serves a hot dinner for 1,500 won (US$1.38) to elderly people living alone, children and people with disabilities. “I’m happy to share a meal with my friendly neighbors in a cheerful atmosphere,” Kim said.
Hansotbap Café is one of the “reciprocal village projects” being organized by Gwangsan District and the Hanam apartment social welfare center. “This is the product of a task force set up in June 2016 by activists at the welfare center and by experts in various areas,” said Cheon Gyeong-mi, who leads the community welfare team in Gwangsan District. Of the 1,884 households at the Hanam apartment, 63% are recipients of the government’s basic livelihood allowance, and 70% consist of people living alone. Gwangsan District upgraded the original elderly cafeteria into a bona fide café, which was run on a trial basis in Nov. 2017 and then officially opened on Feb. 9. The project is funded through a special grant given to Gwangsan District by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
Since Hansotbap Café opened, the apartment complex has been filled with warmth. More than 60 people eat there every day. The district provides 2,000 won in subsidies per diner, who get a meal worth 3,500 won [for just 1,500 won]. The Hansotbap Café has also created new jobs, hiring six employees, including a manager, helpers and kitchen staff.
“Food has an incredible power. It’s not just a simple meal – it feels like people are sharing warmth at the community restaurant. Since we charge 1,500 won for the meal, everyone is able to eat a meal with dignity,” said Park Jong-min, 50, director of the welfare center.
By Jung Dae-ha, Gwangju correspondent
Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]
