Citizens Stay Home Due to Corona... Streaming Services Boom

COVID-19 Spread, Increase in 'Jipkokjok' Spending Time at Home
Rising Use of Streaming Services like Watcha Play, Netflix, and Millie's Library
Experts: "Risk of Infection in Spaces Where Practicing 'Social Distancing' Is Difficult"

Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] # College student A (22) recently started spending more time at home, which led to increased use of Netflix. A said, "With the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the start of the semester was postponed, and the TOEIC exam I was preparing for was canceled," adding, "Since there is a risk of infection, I try to stay home as much as possible." She continued, "Staying home all day made games and SNS boring, so I subscribed to Netflix," and said, "Watching overseas dramas that I had postponed in bulk makes time pass quickly."

# Office worker B (29), who has been working from home for three weeks due to the spread of COVID-19, also revealed that his movie and drama viewing time through online streaming services has greatly increased. He said, "Before the COVID-19 situation became serious, I was so busy with commuting, appointments, and company dinners that I only watched about 30 minutes of dramas a day," adding, "Since working from home, I hardly have appointments, and sometimes I finish an entire drama season in a day." He added, "Now, I feel a bit tired of video content, so I am considering subscribing to an e-book service."

As COVID-19 has recently spread domestically, citizens are practicing 'social distancing' by refraining from going out and postponing gatherings. As the so-called 'homebody tribe' who avoid going out and enjoy cultural life at home increases, content streaming services are booming. Since outdoor activities are restrained, demand for various indoor entertainment content has risen.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the 15th, as of 0:00 a.m. that day, the total cumulative number of confirmed cases was 8,162, of which 834 had been released from quarantine. The number of deaths was 75.

Due to the impact of COVID-19, more than 7 out of 10 people are refraining from going out. According to the 'Consumer Behavior Survey Report' released by the Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation on the 10th, 75% of respondents answered, "I am refraining from outdoor activities due to COVID-19 and other reasons."

Among them, 80% answered that they "watch video content indoors through TV, smartphones, PCs, etc."

Also, according to a recent survey by the Global Big Data Research Institute, the daily keyword volume for Netflix increased by 36.40% between the 22nd and 25th of last month. The institute stated that among OTT and IPTV services, Netflix showed the highest growth rate.

On the morning of the 13th, citizens wearing masks are boarding and alighting the subway at Gangnam Station on Seoul Subway Line 2 for their commute. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the industry, viewing time for disaster movies and dramas dealing with infectious diseases and similar themes has surged. Wave reported that in January, disaster movie viewing time increased by an average of 403% compared to before the spread of COVID-19, and viewing time for "Contagion" increased by 6,631%.

A representative from Watcha Play also stated that total viewing time increased by 36.9% compared to January, and dramas like "Chernobyl" and the movie "Contagion" are gaining popularity.

Not only video streaming services but also music, audiobook, and e-book subscription services have seen increased usage. The e-book subscription service "Millie's Library" saw a 58% increase in daily users on the 9th compared to the 23rd of last month, and the audiobook platform "Storytel" reported a 20% increase in users since January.

According to Genie Music on the 12th, although the release of new songs decreased compared to the same period last year, streaming counts slightly increased. The number of new song releases in February decreased by 22% and 11% compared to last year and 2018, respectively. However, streaming counts last month increased by 16% compared to the same period last year, and streaming counts in the first week of March increased by 7%.

Meanwhile, health authorities urged continued practice of 'social distancing,' such as avoiding contact with others and refraining from attending events.

No Hong-in, the first controller of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said at a regular briefing held at the Government Sejong Complex at 11 a.m. on the 14th, "With the weekend approaching, it is easy to become complacent by prematurely judging that the Gyeongbuk or Daegu regions are somewhat stable," adding, "However, in the metropolitan area, cluster infections continue to occur. It is not yet time to let our guard down."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.