“Happy Time Machine”

[Anchor Lead]

With the passage of time, even the trials we go through in our youth can start to look beautiful later on. One local government in Seoul is running a program for senior citizens who receive a token of their memories as a gift. The response has been more than positive so far. The project is known as the "happy time machine."

[Pkg]

It was the 1988 Seoul Olympics when Park Mi-ja began her volunteering career. The numerous Olympic badges she received at the time are part of a precious memory inscribed in her heart.

[Soundbite] "There's Italy, Australia and then the USA..."

She since continued to volunteer at various events including the Asian Games. And now at over 70 years old, she is set to do the same at next year's PyeongChang Winter Olympics. This video documenting her 30 years of volunteer work was a gift to her made by college students.

[Soundbite] Park Mi-ja(74) (Olympics Volunteer) : "To see this gift made from my past trials... I'm so grateful and I also bless my future days."

[Soundbite] Lee Yoo-jin(Student, Kyonggi Univ.) : "As I was putting together the video, I thought that I also wanted to pursue the things in my heart. I want to live as passionately as she does."

Students donate their talent to prepare these life story videos, portraits and photographs for senior citizens. The projected is titled the "Happy Time Machine". Some 12-hundred seniors received the priceless gift of their life memories over the past two years through this program, which is carried out by Seoul's Seodaemun-gu district.

[Soundbite] Yang Sun-rye(80) (Seoul Resident) : "I'm so grateful for their efforts of taking photos for us insignificant seniors."

Seniors and students communicate with one another to recollect and record memories. It is a project that touches the hearts of many recipients.