Author known as the “Peter Pan father” dies at 63 after raising autistic son alone

Jeon Gyeong-cheol, known as the “Peter Pan father,” died at 63 after an illness, following more than two decades of raising his son with severe autism alone. Jeong Yu-jin, head of the Developmental Disability Support Professionals Forum, said Jeon died at about 7:56 p.m. on September 5. His funeral will be held without a funeral hall, in accordance with his wishes.

Jeon called his 26-year-old son, Jewon, “Peter Pan” because his son’s mental age had remained at two. After divorcing his wife, Jeon raised him alone for more than 20 years.

His story became widely known last April, when he received a terminal liver-cancer diagnosis and was told he had six months to live. Concerned about who would care for his son after his death, he contacted more than 1,000 facilities across the country. He struggled to find one willing to accept an adult with severe autism.

Jeon documented that search for a place where his son could be cared for on the content platform Brunch. He later appeared on television and published the essay “Goodbye, Peter Pan,” pursuing work as a writer while continuing to seek care for his son.