Writer Jeon Kyung-chul, Who Sought a Home for Autistic Son, Dies of Cancer

Jeon Kyung-chul, a South Korean writer known in the media as the "Peter Pan Dad," died of liver cancer in early September 2026. Reports differ on his exact age, giving 63 or 64, and on whether he died on the 5th or 6th.

He had raised his son, who has severe autism, largely on his own for about 27 years. After being diagnosed with terminal liver cancer and given roughly six months to live, he spent his remaining time looking for a place where his son could live after his death. He wrote about that search in an essay titled "Hello, Peter Pan."

His aim was to create a "Neverland" village, a residential community for severely disabled people who would otherwise be left without care once their parents die. To support it, he pushed to set up the Peter Pan Foundation. Reports say the minimum donation of 500 million won needed to establish it has been secured, and his publisher said all royalties from his posthumous works would go to the foundation.

At his wish, his funeral was held as a private memorial service. His story drew wide attention to the long-term care of adults with developmental disabilities in South Korea.