▲ Kang Hyung-gu

Everybody is familiar with the word ‘well-being’. Are you familiar with the word ‘well-dying’ then? It is a trend in Japan whose society has long time been entered into high aging society. The idea is that preparing how to die is as important as how to live. 

“Think you die tomorrow. Is today might be as normal as before? We all don’t know when the time strikes. Therefore, we should be thankful to almost everything that is still given to us” says Kang Hyung-gu, CEO of Yesong, a funeral consulting firm. 

Kang majored in mortuary science at Eulji University, obtained a master’s degree in life and death ceremony from Dongguk University and finished a doctoral course at Ajou University. For the last 16 years, he planned and managed numerous funerals including renowned economic and political figures and celebrities. 

Kang sees death as part of life. “We all have to die whether rich or poor. We don’t know when to die but we can prepare for well-dying while trying to enjoy every moment of life. In other words, living well is dying well.”

Funeral Consulting at Yesong looks back our lives before, makes it realize the value of the time still given, and closes by thinking things over how we should better lead our lives from now on. 

“To end our lives beautifully, we should review our lives now. We ask ourselves “Am I happy now?” “What makes me happiest?” “What I’m good at?” “What I wish to do?” “But what should I do better now?” Throwing these questions help us to know more about ourselves and the lives we are leading.”

An interesting trend in Japan is that there practiced a funeral in living. Literally, it is funeral while one is still alive but almost certainly soon to die. It can be a farewell party for people around while the reason still hangs on the dying. 

Another interesting fact is that a survey carried out in Korea shows that 70% of people are positive about funeral in living. They said that a funeral doesn’t need to be sad and it gives an opportunity to say good bye to more people before dying. 

“Funeral rituals can help family consolidate and go back to their life with matured heart afterwards. What is important is that the rituals should be truthful rather than following the formality. This is the point the funeral consulting of Yesong is highly focused on.”

“I think everybody has a right, and also a duty, how to end one’s life because it’s their own life being taken. So it is good idea to plan your own funeral and how to say good bye to your beloved.”

The World Ending Business Fair 2018 is held at KINTEX from 8th to 10th November and Kang is in charge of the executive committee. The fair invites government organizations and senior and funeral related industries. It will be a good opportunity for you to get a glimpse how the funeral culture and industry in Korea is advancing.