"That Alone Is My World"... People Staring at Phones During COVID-19 'Home-Stay'

Outdoor Activities Difficult, Homebodies Increase
Smartphone Video Watching Time Also Rises Significantly
Experts Warn "Concerns Over Depression and Obesity"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] "These days, I prefer watching videos on my smartphone rather than meeting people."

Office worker Kim (31) heads straight home after finishing his daily routine as outdoor activities have become difficult due to strengthened social distancing measures. Except for eating dinner or catching up on work, he spends his day lying in bed watching videos on his smartphone. On average, he watches videos for about 3 hours a day. He finds watching on his smartphone more enjoyable and sometimes skips plans with friends. Kim said, "I watch YouTube and Netflix, and now I often watch real-time internet personal broadcasts like AfreecaTV."

Exam candidate Yoon (28) also spends his days relying on his smartphone. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, using cafe halls became difficult, so he started preparing for exams in his rented room. However, as he frequently watches game-related videos at home, YouTube has become a priority over studying. Some days, he spends over 7 hours immersed in YouTube gaming channels. He also shows signs of addiction; on the evening of the 14th, when YouTube was down for about an hour, he felt frustrated and irritated.

With the increase of 'homebodies' staying indoors due to COVID-19 social distancing policies, the time spent watching YouTube and other videos on smartphones has also increased. According to the Korea Communications Commission, the average monthly smartphone video usage time in October was 1,490.60 minutes, about 150 minutes more than the same period last year. In March this year, it recorded 1,698.95 minutes, which is 506 minutes more than March last year.

Side effects are also emerging. Professor Son Young-jun of the Department of Media and Communication at Kookmin University and others surveyed 149 university students in June about their social networking service (SNS) usage behavior during the non-face-to-face period. The results showed that frequent YouTube use for passing time increased feelings of helplessness and loneliness. Moreover, this helplessness grew proportionally with the time spent at home. One student who participated in the survey responded, "Since I stay at home all the time and speak less, my personality has gradually become more passive," adding, "Spending time with SNS, the thought 'I am always alone' keeps lingering in my mind."

Professor Lim Myung-ho of the Department of Psychology at Dankook University explained, "If you spend long periods on your smartphone just to pass time, your outdoor activity time will decrease, which can lead to depression, obesity, and heart disease," adding, "It is necessary to set regular limits on smartphone video watching time and outdoor activity time to maintain a healthy daily rhythm."

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