A person who works in special cleaning services, including cleaning up solitary death scenes, shared that it is difficult to separate work from emotions. /Photo: KBS Joy ‘Ask Anything’ broadcast
On September 29th, a man in his 30s appeared on the KBS Joy entertainment program ‘Ask Anything’. He works in special cleaning services, which involve cleaning and organizing spaces where there are mental and sanitary hazards, such as after solitary deaths, suicides, and fires.
During the broadcast, he shared, “I started with regular cleaning and moved on to special cleaning,” expressing his concern, “I want to detach my emotions while doing my job, but it’s hard to distinguish between work and personal feelings.”
He mentioned that although he doesn’t always encounter bodies directly in his work, he faces several challenges. “Sometimes I see decomposed tissue, fingers, nails, and teeth,” he said. He added, “The scenes can be so horrific that some people who come to learn the job end up running away.” Additionally, he must work wearing protective suits all year round, regardless of the weather.
MC Seo Jang-hoon responded, “Your colleagues must be around your age. It’s emotionally tough for young people who seldom face death directly like this. Even if the bodies have been moved, some people would still find the atmosphere terrifying. It’s understandable.”
He further advised, “No one would want their final path to be left unclean and messy. If you think of it as helping give the deceased a dignified farewell, it might bring you some comfort.”