On 'Ask Anything', a special cleaner revealed behind-the-scenes stories from their work.
In the episode aired on the 29th, a special cleaner appeared on KBS Joy's entertainment program 'Ask Anything' and shared the hardships they faced while cleaning various incident scenes, including lonely deaths.
The individual stated that they originally did regular cleaning work but started special cleaning after encountering articles about lonely deaths on TV. They said, “I thought the government took care of post-mortem management, but I found out that private companies handle it. If someone has to do it, I thought we should do it.”
Special cleaning goes beyond simple cleaning; it involves organizing spaces that pose both mental and hygienic risks, such as lonely death scenes, fire sites, and areas contaminated with animal waste. The individual explained that they receive an average of 150 to 200 requests per year, with 40% being hoarding cases involving young people, 40% related to lonely deaths and sorting of belongings, and the remaining 20% being other cases.
They mentioned that just three days ago, they worked on a lonely death scene where they found a small dog guarding the home of a man in his early 40s who had been discovered a week after his death. The individual rescued the dog and even adopted it, confessing, “Seeing that made me feel really bad.” Upon hearing this, Seo Jang-hoon expressed his concern, saying, “So the dog was starving for a week?”
The individual also shared that they cannot forget the lonely death scene of a young man in his early 20s. They recounted, “There was a note stuck to the wall next to the bed in the semi-basement room that said, ‘I want to live in a room with sunlight. I really wanted to live.’” They said that everyone was shocked and ran out of the scene at that moment.
Seo Jang-hoon responded to the individual's comment that some people come to learn the job but flee upon seeing the horrific scenes, saying, “No one wants their last moments to be left in a messy state. If you think of it as doing a good job for those who are watching from above, it might ease your mind a little.”
Lee Soo-geun added, “Money isn’t everything, but since you are getting paid for this work, you need to have a professional mindset.” He advised, “As the representative, you should not be swayed along with your employees but rather develop a strong mentality that can provide stability to your colleagues.” The MCs warmly encouraged the individual, saying, “This is a good and rewarding job. They will surely be grateful.”
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
