"'Not 'Ajae Sensibility'' Why Are 20s and 30s Youths Obsessed with Golf and Hiking?"

Increase in Young Adults Enjoying Golf, Hiking, and Camping
Sales of Related Products Among 20s and 30s Up 24% Compared to Last Year
Experts: "SNS Influence Reflects COVID-19 Indoor Activity Restrictions and Desire for Display"

The view of Baegundae Peak, the summit of Bukhansan, last June.
Photo by Seulgi Kim, Intern Reporter sabiduriakim@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy reporters Han Seung-gon and Kim Seul-gi] "Now I wonder why I didn’t try this fun activity before, maybe because I’ve become an 'aje' (middle-aged man)."

Recently, the MZ generation (Millennials born in the early 1980s to early 2000s and Generation Z born in the mid-1990s to early 2000s) has been increasingly enjoying activities traditionally favored by middle-aged and older adults, such as golf, hiking, and camping. In other words, outdoor activities once described as having an 'aje sensibility' are gaining strong interest among younger people. 'Aje sensibility' refers to activities enjoyed by middle-aged men.

This trend has emerged as a new hobby among young people triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. On social media platforms like Instagram, dozens of posts related to 'golfini (golf + child)' and 'deungnini (hiking + child)'?terms indicating newcomers or beginners?have appeared. 'Nini' is a newly coined term derived from 'child,' used to mean a beginner or novice starting something for the first time.

An Instagram user, Mr. A, said, "I went to a golf course with friends over the weekend. I used to think golf was a sport mainly enjoyed by middle-aged men, but I was surprised to see many young people at the golf course."

The interest of people in their 20s and 30s in golf, hiking, and camping has also led to increased consumption of related products.

Choi Seung-cheol (28, pseudonym), a 20-something office worker, said, "I once bought camping gear to go camping with friends on the weekend. When I posted it on Instagram, everyone complimented me, saying 'It’s pretty' and 'I’m jealous.' Also, camping gear nowadays seems to be designed neatly and stylishly, targeting younger generations."

Choi added, "Since then, I’ve been looking for good camping spots and places where photos come out well. I think the biggest advantage is that outdoor activities are less worrisome in terms of COVID-19 compared to indoor ones, so I can go without much burden."

The 20s and 30s generations are showing strong interest in hobbies traditionally favored by middle-aged groups, such as golf, hiking, and camping. In fact, dozens of posts related to '-rini,' indicating the influx of young people, have been uploaded on Instagram. Photo by Instagram capture

This phenomenon is also reflected in consumption trends. According to an analysis of sales data from Gmarket for the first half of this year, sales of golf, hiking, and camping-related products among people in their 20s and 30s increased by 24% compared to last year. In contrast, the sales growth rate among middle-aged consumers in their 40s and 50s was only 13%, showing a relatively high increase among younger generations.

Data shows that among 20s and 30s purchasing golf products, golf fittings accounted for 47%, golf accessories 29%, women’s golf apparel 22%, and men’s golf apparel 8%.

Purchasing rates for hiking and camping products among people in their 20s and 30s also rose.

Women’s hiking apparel increased by 103%, while men’s hiking apparel and hiking/trekking shoes each rose by 15%. Notably, purchases of hiking products by people in their 20s surged by 87%, marking the highest growth rate across all age groups.

During the same period, sales of camping/outdoor products among people in their 20s and 30s increased by 33%. Tent/tarp sales rose by 47%, general camping gear by 34%, cooking utensils by 26%, and camping lighting by 19%. Among these, demand for camping gear increased by 21% among people in their 20s and 34% among those in their 30s, with demand particularly prominent in the 30s age group.

Gmarket explained, "As COVID-19 imposed restrictions on activity ranges, people seem to be choosing hobbies like hiking, camping, and golf, which carry relatively less risk of infection."

Experts analyze that young people, restricted from indoor activities due to COVID-19, are going outdoors to be active. They also explain that sharing photos of golf, hiking, and camping on social media has become a means of self-expression suited to the communication style of the younger generation.

Professor Lee Eun-hee of Inha University’s Department of Consumer Studies said, "Due to COVID-19, indoor exercises like gym workouts have become limited, so people are turning to outdoor exercise. Through outdoor activities, young people satisfy their desire to meet various people by exercising and socializing."

She added, "Social media is one of the factors influencing consumers when they make purchases. In the COVID era, people communicate through social media. Especially younger generations who use it well care about 'how they appear to others,' so they dress nicely in hiking clothes or show off camping scenes with beautiful backgrounds."

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