Calendar of actor Song Il-guk’s triplets

There are three boys who have caused the heart of women to throb. They are triplets, Dae-han, Min-guk and Man-se, actor Song Il-guk’s sons who were born in March 2012. As the triplets nicknamed "Samdungi (triplets)" appeared on KBS-2 TV’s entertainment show "The Superman is Back," they enjoyed immense popularity. They even received the Popularity Prize at the KBS Entertainment Awards late last year. In the wake of the New Year, viewers continue to display strong affection for the triplets. The desk "Samdungi Calendar" filled with photos of the three boys for the year 2015 has reportedly recorded total sales of 1.1 billion won (1 million U.S. dollars). It means more than 200,000 copies of the calendar, which costs 5,500 won (5 dollars) apiece, have been sold.

Photos on the calendar are not much different from ordinary calendars with children’s images. They include photos of Samdungi clad in hanbok (Korean traditional costume), playing in the bathtub, and snarfing up food. The father, Song, made the calendar by himself with a plan to distribute it in lieu of holiday cards to his acquaintances, but he received massive orders after the TV program featuring his triplets aired on TV. Then, he decided to donate the entire proceeds from sales, and started taking online reservations at late last year, to witness an influx of demand.

People show enthusiastic response to every single word and behavior Dae-han who looks mature, Min-gook, full of charms, and Man-se, the playful boy, speak and take. As a result, Samdungi have become a popular model for TV commercials including those for a smartphone and a credit card company. Are people envious of their father, an actor who always smiles and looks happy playing with Samdungi, who look perfectly innocent, amid the harsh reality of our society, where ordinary people cannot afford to have and adequately support even a single child due to high childrearing cost? Or do they want to enjoy warm and friendly everyday life of a family as an alternative source of joy in this era of family disorganization? It is paradoxical to see that while young people avoid having their own children, they show enthusiastic response to other people’s children.

Song said, “When the triplets were born, I had three times the size of joy and three by three times the degree of toughness (than having just one baby). But as I see these boys’ cute behaviors these days, however, I enjoy three times the degree of difficulty and three by three times the size of joy. It is also the biggest patriotism one can show the country.” In 2013, Korean women’s fertility was 1.19 per woman. It is the lowest level among the members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. It would be great if Samdungi from the Song family can go beyond being joy of a family, and thus stimulate other people to realize “Yes, I need children” and contribute to Korea in overcoming the low birthrate.