"Paper Books Are Better Than E-books" ... Overwhelming Preference

Survey Results from the Korea Paper Association on the 4th Paper Day Commemoration, June 16

According to the "Survey on Consumers' Preference for Paper Media" conducted by the Korea Paper Association, 88.4% of respondents preferred paper books over e-books. Among the 3,471 participants in this survey, the most common reason for using paper media was "because it allows note-taking," with 1,321 respondents (38.1%) selecting this option.
[Graphic=Korea Paper Association]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] People still prefer paper books over e-books.

According to the "Consumer Preference Survey on Paper Media" conducted online by the Korea Paper Association on the occasion of Paper Day on the 16th, 88.4% of respondents preferred paper books over e-books.

In this survey, which involved a total of 3,471 participants, 3,070 people (88.4%) responded that they preferred paper books, while 348 people (10%) preferred e-books, showing that paper books were overwhelmingly favored compared to e-books.

The biggest reason why paper media is perceived as better than digital media was "the warmth and comfort that paper provides," with 2,221 respondents (64%) selecting this. Other reasons included "because paper allows immediate note-taking" with 1,409 respondents (40.6%), "because of the texture and scent of paper" with 1,246 respondents (35.9%), and "because paper is safe without hacking concerns" with 506 respondents (14.6%).

The main reason for using paper media was "because it allows note-taking," with 1,321 respondents (38.1%) selecting this. This was followed by "because it is easy to view" with 912 respondents (26.3%), and "because it is familiar regardless of generation" with 569 respondents (6.4%).

Other reasons included the need for printed paper for work, the pleasant feeling of turning paper pages, excellent readability and overview of information, ease of use in desired forms or sizes, and the fact that digital media cannot match paper in terms of tactile sensation and writing feel.

In a multiple-choice question about the fields where paper will be most used in the future, "eco-friendly (biodegradable) packaging" ranked first. This is analyzed to reflect expectations that paper will become an alternative to plastic pollution, which has recently become a major issue.

Besides this survey, 1,053 people participated in the 4th Paper Day commemorative handwritten letter event held from the 15th of last month to the 12th of this month. The announcement of the winning entries and the winners of the survey event will be posted this afternoon on the Paper Day commemorative event page and the Korea Paper Association website.

Meanwhile, despite Paper Day, the Korea Paper Association did not hold a separate ceremony to practice social distancing due to the spread of COVID-19, and only held an award ceremony for the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy’s commendation for contributors to the development of the paper industry.

Seven people were selected as this year’s awardees: Oh Hae-ryong, CEO of Sungchang Trading; Choi Chang-hwal, Manager at Murim SP; Lim Woo-taek, Manager at Asia Paper; Park Jong-moon, Professor at Chungbuk National University; Lee Kang-gun, Senior at Hansol Paper; Kim Jin-du, Vice President at Ajin PNP; and Lee Jae-soo, CEO of Tara Distribution. Paper Day was established to promote positive social awareness of the paper and paper industry and to boost the pride of industry workers.

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