Evolving Representations of Older Adults in Korean Digital Media: A Text-Mining Approach (2020–2024)

This study empirically analyzed changes in the representation of older adults in Korean digital media from 2020 to 2024. As Korea enters a super-aged society, social perceptions of aging and older adults are rapidly evolving through digital platforms. This study aimed to identify how public discourse about older adults has shifted in emotional tone and thematic structure within online media environments. Approximately 200,000 text data points were collected from news and YouTube comments containing keywords related to older adults. Text mining techniques—including Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling, sentiment analysis, and time-series analysis—were applied to examine annual trends and emotional transitions. The findings revealed a clear shift in thematic emphasis from “health,” “care,” and “vulnerability” toward “participation,” “self-management,” and “digital activity.” Negative sentiments decreased (from 58.3% in 2020 to 37.8% in 2024), while positive sentiments increased (from 22.5% to 42.7%). These results indicate that the image of older adults in digital discourse has transformed from that of passive care recipients to active and independent participants in society. The study supports the ongoing policy debate in Korea on redefining the age threshold for “older adults” from 65 to 70 years, emphasizing capability over chronological age. Digital media play a critical role in shaping these changing perceptions, highlighting the need for intergenerational media literacy education and policy interventions that promote inclusive and age-positive communication.