According to a healthcare initiative from child welfare organization Chorogusan (초록우산) and creative agency Dminusone, South Korea now stands at the threshold of becoming a multiracial, multicultural society, with over 5% of its population having migrant backgrounds by OECD standards. As a result, healthcare for all is a national priority.
An estimated 200,000 children from migrant families currently reside in the country, many of whom come from other Asian nations.
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For families newly settling in Korea, navigating an unfamiliar system presents numerous challenges, with language barriers and limited access to information often leaving them in medical blind spots.
“Although every child in Korea is entitled to free essential vaccinations provided by the government up to the age of 12, only 55.2% of children from migrant backgrounds receive them—simply because they don’t know about the system, don’t speak the language, or don’t know where to turn for help,” said Dminusone.
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In contrast, 96.4% of Korean children complete their first-year vaccinations. Many children from migrant backgrounds also miss out on other vital medical support services, highlighting a critical gap in the healthcare system.
If They Can’t Find the Info, Take it to Them
As part of an initiative to reach those who need important medical information, Chorogusan turned its attention to international local grocery stores frequently visited by parents from migrant backgrounds. These stores not only sell ingredients and spices from various countries but also offer baby products.
Local marts, where people shop for formula, diapers, and baby food, have functioned not just as stores, but as community spaces for migrant-background families. To reach the unreachable, we shared vital information for children at the very moment parents were making choices for their care—in the language they know best.
The ‘Life-Saving Receipt’
Not to be confused with the organ donation campaign from Penny via Serviceplan of the same name, ‘The Life-Saving Receipt’ campaign in South Korea focuses on reaching migrant families with a special receipt printed only when parents purchase childcare items like diapers, formula, or baby lotion. In that moment—when their focus is on their child—Chorogusan delivered its message:
There’s one more must-have for your baby—essential vaccinations and medical care.
Through this receipt, the campaign provides information on essential vaccinations and medical services in the customer’s native language. A QR code also offered access to a range of support services available from Chorogusan in South Korea.
A QR code links to information on additional support services.
Life-Saving Receipt in ThaiExpanding Nationwide
To expand the campaign, the organization distributed guides and posters to about 1,000 institutions, including 40 regional Chorogusan offices, 68 core partner organizations, participating grocery stores, and public institutions, continuously encouraging participation in collaboration with local communities.
No matter where they’re from, every parent wants the same thing: for their child to grow up healthy.
The Life-Saving Receipt campaign is supported by Babybonjuk, Bebesup, Korea Supermarkets Alliance, and Incheon Metropolitan City, all of whom joined efforts to raise awareness of the challenges faced by children from migrant backgrounds and spread the message of the campaign.
Life-Saving Receipt in Vietnamese
Meanwhile, Chorogusan recognizes support for children from migrant backgrounds as one of the most urgent child-related issues in the country and has selected it as a core focus area.
According to the campaign, in 2024 alone, Chorogusan provided around KRW 10.3 billion in support to 9,033 children from migrant backgrounds, covering vaccinations, medical care, pregnancy & childbirth support, and interpretation services for medical treatment.
To learn more, you can visit Chorogusan, which translates to “green umbrella” on the web here.
Credits
Client: CHOROGUSAN
Creative Agency: Dminusone, South Korea
Creative Director: Donggil Kim, Janghan Kim
Account Executive: Sewon Kim, Yeonju Lee, Doyoon Son
Copywriter: Hongkyun Kim
Art Director: Jiwoo Lee, Jisoo Lee
Production Company: Episode Film, South Korea
Director: Eunwoo Choi