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SEOUL : May is the month of the family in South Korea, with the Children's Day and Parent's Day holidays.
And as the country has one of the world's lowest birth rates, the attention on children is growing, with businesses popping up to cater to their needs.
Four-year-old Joo Eun Chea often goes to a hair salon for children called Bubble Story to get her hair cut.
A mother, Song Yoo Kyung, said, "This place is just perfect for children. It is set up for children and so I come here because the children can be happy here."
There are plenty of toys and games for the children while getting their hair done - whether it is a perm or a cut.
Kwon Soon Hyung, owner of Bubble Story, said, "There are more people who want their only child to be prettier and better than others. And so with that in mind, this place allows children to be more free and to play while getting their hair done."
A hair cut at the salon costs about US$20, and some might say it is a lot to pay for children's hair.
But in recent years, places focusing on children's needs are popping up in South Korea.
These children are referred to as Gold Kids in South Korea these days. They are usually the only child and they receive 'gold treatment' from their parents.
South Korea had the lowest birthrate in the world in 2006.
That rate has slowly picked up in the last two years, due to incentives offered by the government for couples and newborns.
But it still remains one of the world's lowest, and the South Korean government said it needs to do more to raise its birthrate.
Kim Seo Joong, an official at the Health Ministry, said, "The very important reason for low birthrate is because people are getting married late. We need to come up with plans to get them married faster."
And so it is not surprising that Joo Eun Chea is also the only child.
And as more Korean women prefer to stay single and couples decide to have only one child, places like Bubble Story are expected to do well in South Korea. - CNA/ms
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