"Where Do You Study Without a Desk at Home?" COVID-19 Spread Drives 'Kagongjok' to Flock to Bakeries

COVID-19 Spread from the Seoul Metropolitan Area... Social Distancing Raised Since the 30th of Last Month
Franchise Cafes, Study Rooms, and Study Cafes Restricted... 'Kagongjok' Flock to Bakeries
Going Outside Due to Housing Conditions and Mental Burden
Cho Heewon, Secretary General of Youth Participation Solidarity, "We Must Think from the Youth Perspective"

On the 21st of last month, unused tables and chairs were stacked around customers at a cafe in Seoul in accordance with 'social distancing' measures. The photo is unrelated to the article content. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy reporters Han Seung-gon and Kim Yeon-ju] #Jobseeker Kim (27, female) is very worried as the library she used to go to has closed due to the escalation of social distancing measures. Unable to go to cafes where she could stay for long hours, she planned to continue preparing for her job application at home for the time being, but she is in a difficult situation because she does not have a personal desk. Kim said, "I study at the dining table. It's bearable during the daytime when my family members are out, but it's almost impossible to study at home in the evening," adding, "I know everyone has to be careful to prevent infection, but I find it hard because I don't have the capacity to study."

Recently, as social distancing was raised to level 2.5 due to the resurgence of COVID-19 originating from Seoul and the metropolitan area, the use of libraries, franchise cafes, study cafes, and reading rooms has been restricted, causing crowds to flock to bakeries and similar places.

Given this situation, so-called 'Kagongjok' (people who study in cafes) have lost their usual places and are turning to comic cafes, bakeries, and the like. As a result, while criticism continues that the behavior of 'Kagongjok' is incomprehensible at a time when social distancing is emphasized, voices are also rising calling for understanding of those who lack the capacity to study at home.

University students and job seekers facing the second semester online are showing difficulty in finding suitable study spaces. They complain that because they cannot engage in economic activities, they cannot comfortably stay at home and have to study outside or in poor living conditions such as small rooms or goshiwons.

On the morning of the 30th of last month, the first day of the implementation of social distancing level 2.5, customers were seated inside a franchise bakery store in Jung-gu, Seoul. The photo is unrelated to the article content. Photo by Yonhap News.

Jobseeker Lee (26, female) said, "Continuing job preparation at home leads to frequent conflicts with my family," adding, "Seeing my family members unable to rest comfortably for fear of disturbing my studies makes me overly cautious and sometimes leads me to feel pessimistic about my situation."

Lee expressed frustration, saying, "When people criticize 'Kagongjok,' they usually say that they can't concentrate at home and go out even during times when COVID-19 is spreading. However, there are various reasons such as not having a private room at home, lack of Wi-Fi or wireless internet connection, and psychological burdens."

University students attending online lectures also expressed discomfort. In particular, some students living alone away from home in other regions live in places like goshiwons, where the living environment is inadequate and they have nowhere else to go.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's '2018 Housing Survey,' the average living area per youth household member is 27.3㎡ (8.25 pyeong), which is smaller than the average living area per member of a general household at 31.7㎡ (9.58 pyeong). Given this situation, students are experiencing difficulties in attending online lectures and studying.

Park (25, male), a university student living alone in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, said, "During exam seasons, students flock to cafes, and many criticize saying 'only those who can't study go to cafes,' but the school library is closed and there really is nowhere else to go," emphasizing, "I hope public facilities can be used within the limits of social distancing."

The photo is unrelated to the article content. Photo by Yonhap News.

Experts point out that there are not enough spaces for young people to use, and combined with psychological burdens, they have no choice but to go to cafes, emphasizing the need for an understanding attitude from the perspective of young people.

Jo Hee-won, Secretary General of the Youth Participation Solidarity, appeared on MBC Radio's 'Pyo Chang-won's News High Kick' on the 2nd and said, "'Kagongjok' is a term that emerged because there was a lack of spaces for young people to interact or public facilities," adding, "(In reality) even those living with their parents feel self-conscious, or most young people who rent monthly live in goshiwons, rooftop rooms, or rooms illegally subdivided, making it difficult to properly use their own space."

Jo emphasized, "Since these are youth issues, we need to listen more carefully to the voices that young people have expressed as stakeholders and work together with them to resolve the existing intergenerational inequalities."

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