After COVID-19, the Concept of 'Home' Changes... Emphasizing Hobby and Relaxation Functions

When Choosing Residential Spaces, 'Comfort' Is Considered Most Important
65.6% Willing to Move If Flexible and Remote Work Become Established

[Asia Economy Reporter Onyu Lim] Since COVID-19, social distancing has become a routine, and work styles have changed, leading to increased importance placed on the hobby, relaxation, and exercise functions of residential spaces.

Zigbang announced on the 8th that it conducted a survey last month targeting 1,517 app users to understand changes in perceptions of residential spaces due to social environment changes caused by COVID-19.

As a result, when asked which internal space functions are more necessary in residential spaces during the COVID-19 era, 47.9% chose "hobby, relaxation, and exercise functions (home training, home cafe, home bar, etc.)." This was followed by △ quarantine, disinfection, and ventilation functions (15.4%) △ work functions (14.6%) △ bonding functions (8.9%) in order of response frequency.

Across all age groups, the top response was consistently "hobby, relaxation, and exercise functions," but the second choice varied by age. For those in their 20s to 40s, the second choice was "work functions," whereas for those in their 50s to 60s, it was "quarantine, disinfection, and ventilation functions," indicating differences in perceived necessary internal functions depending on whether they are engaged in work activities.

Regarding whether preferences for location or external structure factors changed when choosing residential spaces due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, about 7 out of 10 respondents (69.7%) answered "yes." The higher the age group, the higher the proportion of respondents who said their preferences had changed.

After COVID-19, the most important location and external structure factor considered when choosing residential spaces was "comfort - proximity to parks and green areas (parks, green spaces nearby)," selected by 31.6% of respondents. This was followed by △ service and leisure spaces - balconies, terraces, yards, attics (22.8%) △ convenience - all-in-one buildings, home-around, mixed-use complexes near convenience facilities (13.1%) △ transportation convenience - public transport, easy road access (12.7%) in that order.

As travel and outdoor activities decreased due to COVID-19, and activity ranges shifted to home or nearby areas, many showed a preference for comfortable residential areas near parks and green spaces where they can take walks, or residential spaces with balconies, terraces, yards, and attics where they can engage in activities indoors.

These results varied by age and household size. For those in their 20s and 30s, the top choice was "service and leisure spaces," with the second choice being convenience for those in their 20s and comfort for those in their 30s. Conversely, for those in their 40s and 50s, the top choice was "comfort," followed by "service and leisure spaces" as the second choice. By household size, single-person households most frequently chose "service and leisure spaces," while households with two or more members most frequently chose "comfort." Younger age groups and smaller households tended to prefer "service and leisure spaces" that can be enjoyed at home over "comfort."

When asked whether they had considered moving for reasons other than proximity to work (commuting distance) due to the expansion of flexible and remote work and online classes caused by COVID-19, 51.4% answered "no," which was higher than the 48.6% who answered "yes."

The main reason for not considering moving was "although lifestyle patterns have changed, there is no inconvenience currently," at 48.3%. This was followed by △ "there is not much difference between pre-COVID-19 and current lifestyle patterns" (32.3%) △ "expecting to return to previous lifestyle patterns once COVID-19 ends" (16.4%) in that order.

When asked if they would be willing to move regardless of commuting distance if flexible and remote work were established, 65.6% responded "yes." Younger age groups and smaller households showed a higher willingness to move, which is analyzed as a result of younger, smaller households being more mobile compared to larger, older generations. Additionally, older age groups showed lower willingness to move, likely because many have already settled in their current residences after retirement.

By residential area, respondents living in large metropolitan areas such as Incheon (72.7%), Seoul (68.3%), and the five major provincial metropolitan cities (67.7%) showed higher willingness to move. If restrictions on workspaces disappear, this could indicate a trend of de-urbanization among residents of large cities.

Currently, COVID-19 vaccinations are underway. While life may return to pre-pandemic norms after COVID-19 ends, it is true that perceptions of work and residential environments have significantly changed due to COVID-19.

A Zigbang official said, "If flexible and remote work styles become established, there will be high demand to move out of large cities, which is expected to cause significant regional changes in residential spaces."

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