“Who am I living for?” South Korean actress Sunwoo Yong-yeo asks in a recent video, then hops into her Mercedes-Benz and heads to a five-star hotel for breakfast alone.
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At 80, the veteran performer is rewriting the script on ageing, and her vibrant, candid lifestyle is resonating with viewers across generations.
Just over two weeks after launching her YouTube channel, Soonpoong Sunwoo Yong-yeo, on April 24, Sunwoo has already amassed more than 144,000 subscribers as of May 12.
Her channel – described as a one-of-a-kind space “filled with laughter, tears, and life wisdom” – is gaining traction for its honest portrayal of older adult life that is healthy, independent, and full of personality.
In one popular video, which has surpassed 2.9 million views, Sunwoo drives herself to a hotel buffet, enjoying a colourful spread of vegetables and grains. “If I buy all this just for myself, I end up wasting it,” she says. “For just a little more money, I can eat hotel breakfast – and it’s better for me.”
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She adds with her signature candour: “What’s the point of saving money when it’s for your health? You can wear clothes that cost 10 million won [US$7,100], but if you eat like a beggar, it’s pointless.”