For seniors, joy is in the journey

Lee Jin-ho, a retired interior designer, at Changdong Station in Dobong-gu, a suburb of Seoul, South Korea. With the fare free for those older than 65, some retired people spend their days riding the trains to the end of the line. — ©2023 The New York Times Company

THE subway rumbled toward its final stop north of Seoul. Along the way, hordes disembarked, with the determined, brisk gait of those with somewhere to be.

Far from the city centre, the thicket of high-rise buildings grew sparser, and the afternoon sun crept deeper into the train cars, riding on an elevated track at that point. By the end of the line, many who remained on board were noticeably older – nodding off, gazing out the window, stretching their shoulders.