Why Yangpyeong Parrot Father Lee Gang-ryeol Built a Dedicated Greenhouse for 25 Birds

In a quiet rural village in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi-do, there lives Lee Gang-ryeol, who lives alongside 25 parrots. Having worked as a CEO of a performance agency in Seoul, he experienced the sorrow of his first pet bird dying from an illness 10 years ago. At that time, feeling guilty for caring for a life without professional knowledge, he vowed never to raise birds again, but was eventually drawn back to them by the parrots' brilliant colors, linguistic abilities, and capacity for deep connection.

The story of moving to Yangpyeong for free flight and a dedicated greenhouse

Feeling apologetic about his past of raising parrots in a cramped apartment, Lee Gang-ryeol moved his residence to Yangpyeong two years ago to provide a better environment for the birds. He prepared a large greenhouse measuring 165 square meters to create a special space for the parrots. This greenhouse is filled with temperate trees tailored to the birds' tastes, serving as a space where they can avoid the winter cold or exercise. In the video, this greenhouse is also used as a place where the children enjoy showering. The cool stream of water pouring from the ceiling creates a scene reminiscent of falling rain, boosting the parrots' moods.

In particular, Lee Gang-ryeol conducts outdoor free flight twice a day for the health of the parrots. This is because they need to bask in direct sunlight and exercise to revive the luster of their feathers and relieve stress. In the video, the parrots Mango and Meoru show a deep bond, flying back to his arms even while in mid-flight when they hear their father's voice. When the active-natured Meoru throws a tantrum because she doesn't want to go home, he soothes her by giving her nuts, which the children love, as a snack. After finishing their flight, the birds rest in the greenhouse while being hit by the water stream, a process through which sufficient interaction with the owner takes place.

Devoted diet and care for 25 parrots

Caring for 25 parrots every day is by no means easy. Lee Gang-ryeol personally selects and prepares seasonal fruits and vegetables for the birds. Considering their natural eating habits, he even utilizes flowers covered in pollen and puts in great effort, such as boiling corn to prepare along with his wife Mi-yeon. The nuts that the children love become a magic snack that instantly turns Meoru, who has a personality like a tree frog, into a good child.

The diet is meticulously divided according to age. In addition to seasonal foods for adult birds, for young birds like the youngest 'Kkomi', who is only 35 days old, he prepares weaning food by mixing dedicated formula. Lee Gang-ryeol currently performs the roles of cafe owner, breeder, and facility manager simultaneously, tirelessly caring for the birds. In the video, Mango even appears to help with pine tree pruning, showing how deeply integrated he is into the daily life of caretaker Lee Gang-ryeol. His wife Mi-yeon sometimes expresses playful resentment at seeing her husband hugging the birds all day even on holidays, but the parrot Gapdol-i acts like a "momma's boy," becoming a member of the family.

Dreaming of a pet bird community with the free flight club

Lee Gang-ryeol's house occasionally becomes a place of communication visited by members of a club that enjoys free flight. It is a gathering of those who believe that "just as humans must walk to be healthy, birds must fly to be healthy." In the video, a peaceful scene is depicted where free flight club members visit and fly in the sky with Mango and Meoru. Additionally, Isul-i and Gapdol-i, who possess excellent sociability and eloquence, take on the role of cute greeters for guests, capturing the hearts of visitors.

Lee Gang-ryeol has a dream of creating a space where people planning to raise birds and existing pet owners can share information with each other. His sincere care, wishing for them to live happily with the children and stay healthy for a long time, continues under the blue sky of Yangpyeong. His life with the parrots is being completed through deep communion with life, going beyond simple breeding.