More young women become funeral directors in S. Korea

As Korea enters super-aged society, funeral director profession becomes popular among those in their 20s, 30s, women, retirees

Visitors lay flowers at a memorial service at a funeral home. /News1

Cho Yoon-bin, 24, works as a funeral director at Seoul Memorial Park in Seocho-gu, Seoul. After graduating from Eulji University’s Department of Mortuary Science in Daejeon last year, she immediately secured a job at the facility. Her duties include transferring the deceased to the cremation chamber, monitoring the cremation process, and collecting the remaining bones to process into ashes for bereaved families. Cho had aspired to become a funeral director since high school. “Many young people see this profession as distant and difficult, but I consider it an honorable role in providing a person’s ‘final welfare,’” she said. “Even in today’s tough job market, this field offers immediate employment after graduation and long-term job security.”

As South Korea transitions into a super-aged society, where those 65 and older make up more than 20% of the population, demand for funeral directors and morticians is rising. With 7.1 million baby boomers (born 1955–1963) aging past 65, the number of deaths is expected to climb steadily over the next 30 years. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the issuance of national funeral director certifications surged 85% over four years, from 1,602 in 2020 to 2,967 in 2024. Funeral directors, who handle everything from family consultations to body preparation and memorial service management, must complete 300 hours of government-certified training, including hands-on experience, to earn a license.

Once a male-dominated profession, funeral directing is becoming more diverse with people in their 20s and 30s, women, and retirees entering the field. Park Jung-hyun, a funeral director at a major funeral service company, shared, “At my company, the gender ratio is about 50-50, with most directors in their 20s and 30s.” Park Il-do, President of the Korea Funeral Association, said, “Last year, a petite female funeral director joined my funeral home. At first, I was concerned about the physical demands of the job, but she handled it with exceptional attention to detail,” adding, “As funeral directing gains recognition as a promising career, more people from various backgrounds are entering the field.”

University funeral science programs are also gaining popularity. At Daejeon Health University’s Department of Mortuary Science, 80% of last year’s 34 enrollees were in their 20s, with women making up half the class. The program even attracted male retirees seeking second careers. With rising demand, Shingyeongju University in Gyeongju established a four-year Funeral Culture Industry program last year.

As dignity in death becomes more important, the skills required of funeral directors are evolving. Training now includes funeral restoration makeup, where directors learn to apply makeup that closely resembles the deceased’s appearance in life, based on photographs. There is also a growing focus on communication skills for handling mass casualty events. Following the Jeju Air disaster last December, which claimed 179 lives, the Ministry of Health and Welfare deployed 278 funeral directors to assist with body recovery and funeral procedures.

With South Korea’s growing foreign population, funeral service education now includes handling international cases. Kim So-ha, 20, a second-year student in Daejeon Health University’s mortuary science department, said, “We learn techniques to prevent decomposition when repatriating foreign decedents.” As the perception of pets as family members spreads, some professionals are also obtaining private certification as pet funeral directors.

The funeral services industry is also attracting corporate interest. Rental services company Coway plans to enter the sector in the first half of this year. Education firms Daekyo and Woongjin are also expanding into the market—Daekyo launched a funeral service last month, while Woongjin is reportedly considering acquiring Preed Life, the industry’s leading funeral services provider.