A leading figure in the 'slow aging' trend, Professor Jeong Hee-won from the Department of Geriatrics at Seoul Asan Medical Center is stepping away from the clinic to embark on a new chapter in life through radio.
On July 1, Professor Jeong Hee-won began his role as a DJ on MBC Standard FM's "Jeong Hee-won's Radio Pause" (weekdays at 11:05 AM). He recently spoke with Maeil Business Star Today.
Starting with social media, the hottest trend in Korea these days is 'slow aging.' Celebrities like Shin Ae-ra, Lee Hyun-yi, and Lee Seung-yeon have garnered attention by showcasing their practices of slow aging through broadcasts and YouTube. In particular, Shin Ae-ra has attracted attention by demonstrating a lifestyle focused on fresh and healthy ingredients, maintaining a certain period of fasting.
The person who spread this 'slow aging' concept in Korea is none other than Professor Jeong Hee-won. Since around 2023, he has been widely promoting the necessity and importance of slow aging through media, popularizing the term 'slow aging' in the face of accelerating aging demographics, instead of the 'YOLO' (You Only Live Once) mindset.
Professor Jeong resigned from Seoul Asan Medical Center, known as the best hospital in the country, on the 30th of last month. When the news of his resignation broke, some speculated, "Is he planning to enter politics?" However, the path he chose was an unexpected debut as a radio DJ.
“In March, before I even submitted my resignation, I received a call from MBC. I was considering resigning at that time. They suggested discussing health on the radio, and I accepted. I have loved radio since I was young and have always been interested in sound, so I once dreamed of being a radio DJ. I also thought it would be a great opportunity to share stories with people.”
What led Professor Jeong, who was already on a successful path as a doctor, to make the decision to resign? It seems that the decision to leave the hospital was not an easy one. Professor Jeong expressed his disappointment, saying, “There are physical limitations in the clinic.”
“When I see outpatients, I see 50 to 60 patients in the morning alone. Sometimes I see 7 new patients. Ultimately, due to these physical constraints, I can only provide 3-minute consultations. To provide proper care as I was trained, I actually need to spend at least 10 minutes per patient. However, in Korea, whether you are a university hospital doctor or a private practitioner, if you spend more than 3 minutes, you will inevitably incur a deficit. This country does not value the worth of a person or the expertise of a specialist. The structure is such that you can only avoid deficits by conducting tests with machines. The essential education that needs to be conveyed to patients cannot be done in 3 minutes. Because of these issues, I decided to step out for 'public education.'”
Professor Jeong added, “I believe the deficit I caused at Seoul Asan Medical Center over the past few years amounts to several billion won. I am sincerely grateful for the time I spent there. It is a good hospital. I did not leave because I was dissatisfied with the hospital.”
Although Professor Jeong has already been communicating with the public through social media and YouTube, he chose radio to reach even more people. He also considered the fact that the audience's age demographic is older.
Professor Jeong stated, “YouTube mainly attracts people in their 20s and 30s. People in their 50s and 60s do not engage as much. However, I wanted to enhance the health of that age group, so I needed a larger platform.” He added, “If social media is a channel to reach tens of thousands of people, I see radio as a speaker that can reach millions.”
When comparing influence, TV broadcasting may seem more advantageous than radio. More people watch TV than listen to the radio. However, Professor Jeong focused on the 'freedom' of radio.
“TV has many show doctors and strong commercial elements due to sponsorships. Given the high production costs, there are many aspects that inevitably lead to commercialization. There is a tendency to prefer dramatic changes in patient cases within a short period to showcase dramatic elements. However, it is difficult for an internist to dramatically improve a patient's health in such a short time. I felt many limitations. But with radio, as long as I keep to the broadcast time, I have a wide range of movement within that. I can freely discuss what I want to say based on medical evidence and guidelines. I will create a program that delivers accurate information related to health.”
Daily radio broadcasts can also be a burden for entertainers whose main profession is broadcasting. Professor Jeong has experience running a YouTube channel and has appeared on broadcasts in the past, but it seems he felt considerable pressure regarding being a DJ.
However, Professor Jeong appeared relaxed, saying, “There are live broadcasts, but there are also recorded ones.” He added, “Since I need to actively deliver health information, it does require investment and dedication.”
For Professor Jeong, radio feels like a new 'main job.'
“Radio feels like a 'radio clinic.' I end up spending a similar amount of time as I would with outpatient patients. I organize the content with the help of writers and base the broadcast on that. I am creating it based on the books and columns I have published, and I have recorded twice, and it has gone smoothly. I should have become a DJ sooner. I regret it. Haha.” (Continued in Interview ②)
