Turning the dead into beads: South Korea's 'odd' new trend

[unreal.livejournal.com]

Forget "creepy" burial urns. One company allows clients to memorialize the dead by turning their remains into colorful, caviar-like stones

Ashes to ashes, dust to… beads? South Koreans are shying away from traditional burial traditions and instead opting for a new way to honor the dead—by transforming their remains into smooth, gem-like stones. The practice is becoming increasingly popular; Bae Jae-yul, founder and CEO of "death bead" company Bonhyang, says he's served over 1,000 customers in the past decade, and a rival company, Mikwang, claims to have done even more business. Here's what's going on with this "odd" new practice:


Beads?
Yup. Instead of storing a cremated relative's ashes in a "creepy" urn, South Koreans are opting to transform the remains of loved ones into shiny beads that "have the look of beluga caviar," says Jung-yoon Choi in the Los Angeles Times. But the beads aren't strung into necklaces. "Instead, some mourners keep them in dishes and glass containers, the point being to keep a lost loved one close by." The beads can be produced in different colors — including blue-green, pink, and black — and the process costs around $900.

Why is this practice gaining popularity?
It's simple: The "small, densely populated country" is running out of space to bury its dead. "A law passed in 2000 requires anyone burying their dead after 2000 to remove the grave 60 years after burial," says Hyung-jin Kim for the Associated Press, resulting in a "dramatic" cultural shift. Just 10 years ago, roughly six out of 10 South Koreans were buried, "a practice in line with the traditional Confucian instruction to respect dead ancestors and visit their graves regularly." Now? The cremation rate is so high that only three out of every 10 deceased were buried last year.

Can this be done elsewhere?
The practice can already be found in the United States, Europe, and Japan, says Weird News Asia, but it hasn't "caught on" like it has in South Korea. The reason for the success of Bae's company, and several rival ashes-to-bead businesses in his country? "They're very beautiful to look at," says Bae, who had the remains of his own parents dug up to mix into stones. "You don't feel that these beads are creepy or scary. In fact, there's a holiness and warmth to them."

Source: theweek

Comments

[lady-theta.livejournal.com]

...I want to think I've seen a similar article before a few months ago...

[dongwook.livejournal.com]

oh Yuffie~
<3

[lady-theta.livejournal.com]

Sunny~~ *o*

[opal.livejournal.com]

you have. (http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/7897993.html)

[dongwook.livejournal.com]

(http://s1141.photobucket.com/albums/n584/Gaypop/?action=view&current=afbk7njpg-1.gif)

[suzieeq-luv.livejournal.com]

I feel like I read a similar story to this but I cant remember where :/
Creepy imo

[devilsatin.livejournal.com]

this is nice. can you also have jewelry made?

[asiapopsecret.livejournal.com]

I would do it tbh. I'd make a necklace and wear it all the time. ;o; is that creepy? D:

[velveteenkitten.livejournal.com]

I know I'm a bit late with this comment but you can actually get ashes made into a diamond and then put that into a ring or a setting. I've always liked the idea and when the time comes I want the ashes of my husband and I to be mixed and made into a diamond.

[jenny-grey.livejournal.com]

My dad did this with our dog's ashes (into a paper weight, not a diamond) and it's really pretty and a sweet idea...I like it.

[aleexnews.livejournal.com]

yeah i remember some long article on this being posted before here. idk i dont find it all that creepy tbh, they look pretty and they help out those people who just can't let go of their loved ones and want them close i guess.

[dapo322.livejournal.com]

who is the little cutie in your icon?

[aleexnews.livejournal.com]

that's child actress, Dal Eum Ee, from MBC's drama 'Hooray for Love' :)

[amandaplan.livejournal.com]

ngl this seems more interesting than ashes.

[vardagaladhiel.livejournal.com]

I actually quite like the idea...if you're going to keep the ashes and not scatter them then I think this is a lovely idea.

[cassie-cloud9.livejournal.com]

Very intresting, I think the idea's actually really cool tbh

[cassie-cloud9.livejournal.com]

MTE instead of just a plain old urn you can choose something pretty and decorative to remember ur loved ones by. I see nothing wrong or weird about that.

[devilstay.livejournal.com]

lol! I'm already planning on turning my mum into a diamond or something, then selling her. Although according to her, it's expensive to turn people into jewellery, even more so then burying them.

[jumpsama.livejournal.com]

I remember reading about this before as well, although it didn't feel creepy.

imagine receiving a death threath, "you're a bead tomorrow" or a serial killer turning his victims into a bead collection /criminalminds

[manx-capra.livejournal.com]

That would be an epic episode of Criminal Minds. Someone should send it to them!

[uledy.livejournal.com]

here for your icon :3

[threebits.livejournal.com]

that... that sounds awesome ide

[swhyeon1991.livejournal.com]

A law passed in 2000 requires anyone burying their dead after 2000 to remove the grave 60 years after burial
remove to . . . ? .__.

however this bead idea is interesting tbh

[erbalurbal.livejournal.com]

a jar on their mantle

[chunsakuma.livejournal.com]

You don't feel that these beads are creepy or scary.

Except that they kind of give me the heebie-jeebies for some reason.

[nnejck.livejournal.com]

That's pretty cool. I wonder how the process works.

[jeugd1.livejournal.com]

Anal beads?

[miki-831.livejournal.com]

there was already a post just like this

[sydeast.livejournal.com]

Yea just wanna say the same thing: already know this because it was posted here before. In fact I think there was 2 articles back to back about it

[kim-jaejoong.livejournal.com]

this is not new info tbh

[pamuya.livejournal.com]

i didn't see this the first time but i prefer this to ashes tbh, i would always fear i'd knock the urn over and my dead relative would have to get hoover'd up.

[hybridchickens.livejournal.com]

apparently you can also compress your relatives' ashes into precious stones and make them into jewelry. creepy and morbid as hale imo.

[hyde-my-dreams.livejournal.com]

I'd heard about being able to turn their ashes into diamonds....

My personal feeling is that ashes should be scattered (I want mine to be scatted over the Pacific Ocean). The idea of being buried creeps me out, and any other option creeps me out as well for some reason.

[honeebs.livejournal.com]

I would love to do this.
I think it's nice.

[velveteenkitten.livejournal.com]

I've always liked the coral reef idea, I think it's nice. But it does cost a lot doesn't it?

[velveteenkitten.livejournal.com]

Ah, I've tried finding out the cost but haven't got any clear figures. Was just wondering really.

[karavanuemura.livejournal.com]

Wow. I wish we could have it here.

[siha.livejournal.com]

i don't think this is creepy at all. it looks really interesting and pretty.