The Prolonged COVID-19 Pandemic Created a 'Jipkok' Lifestyle... Increased Hobby Time

Average Daily Leisure Activity Increases by 12 Minutes
Solo Leisure Activities Up by 5.7%P
"Helps Overcome Corona Blue"

Homemade Menbosha made with 'home cooking'. Photo by Reader Provided

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Office worker Lee Yooseon (30, female, pseudonym) developed a new hobby as the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic increased her time at home. She started making and eating Chinese dishes she liked, such as Menbosha and dumplings, by herself. Although she used to spend her leisure time doing Pilates, she could no longer exercise due to the closure of indoor sports facilities, so she spends her time cooking. Additionally, concerns about COVID-19 infection and relying solely on delivery food also motivated her to cook herself. Lee said, "Cooking takes a lot of effort, but it helps me alleviate the boredom of daily life, so I lose track of time."

As outdoor activities became restricted due to the COVID-19 situation, more people are seeking 'stay-at-home hobbies' that can be done indoors. Among these, cooking at home, known as 'Home Cooking,' is representative. Office worker Lee Sangsoo (29) said, "I started cooking with ingredients I had at home while watching YouTube," adding, "These days, it has become routine to stop by the supermarket on the way home from work to buy ingredients and cook meals." In addition, 'Home Training,' where people exercise alone at home to compensate for the lack of physical activity, is also gaining popularity.

According to the 'National Leisure Activity Survey' released in December last year by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, the average daily leisure time of citizens was 29.7 hours per week, with 3.7 hours on weekdays and 5.6 hours on holidays. Daily leisure time on both weekdays and holidays increased by 12 minutes compared to the previous year.

The proportion of people spending leisure time alone also increased. Solo leisure activities rose by 5.7 percentage points from the previous year to 60%, while the rate of leisure activities with family or friends decreased by 4.7 percentage points to 40%. This survey was conducted nationwide on 10,000 people aged 15 and older from August 1, 2019, to July 31 of last year. Some are also finding new hobbies to overcome 'COVID Blue.' Office worker Park (31, female) recently started buying coloring books, which are books containing line drawings that can be colored. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, she relieved work stress by watching late-night movies, but stopped going to theaters due to infection concerns, which led to feelings of helplessness. However, after a recommendation from an acquaintance, coloring in the coloring book helped reduce her depression. Professor Lim Myungho of Dankook University’s Department of Psychology said, "Creating your own hobby that can be done at home helps overcome COVID Blue," adding, "Setting a fixed time daily and engaging in physical activities rather than static ones will be more effective."

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