Seoul Citizens' 'Food and Dietary Satisfaction' Scores 6.95, Improved from Last Year... Significant Impact on Happiness of 20s and Single-Person Households

Announcement of Seoul Food Statistics Survey Results for 4,039 Seoul Citizens
Young Generation's Food Perception Expressions on SNS... Single-Person Households and Older Age Groups Focus on Sharing Food Information
Since COVID-19, 65% of People in Their 20s Increased Use of Delivery and Takeout Food... 70% of People in Their 30s and 40s Increased Online Food Purchases

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] As a result of the Seoul Metropolitan Government conducting the Seoul Food Statistics Survey targeting Seoul citizens, the citizens' ‘food and dietary satisfaction’ scored an average of 6.95 points, which is higher than last year's 6.81 points.

According to Seoul City on the 22nd, this survey was conducted on 4,039 citizens (2,000 households) to examine citizens' perceptions and behaviors related to food, including life happiness and food and dietary satisfaction, SNS food-related activities and cookbang/mukbang, eating habits, food literacy (knowledge and practice), health and diet, and food security, as well as policy demands. When the highest satisfaction level for ‘food and dietary’ was set at 10 points, the groups with higher satisfaction were people in their 30s (7.25 points), households with two or more generations (7.08 points), management/professional/office workers (7.20 points), and regular wage workers (7.11 points).

In-depth analysis of quality of life related to food by social class showed a very high correlation between ‘overall life happiness’ and ‘food and dietary satisfaction.’ Especially among respondents in their 20s, single-person households, and households with a monthly income below 2 million KRW, the correlation was high, indicating that food and dietary satisfaction greatly influences life happiness.

In this survey, 48.1% of respondents used SNS, and among them, 83.4% engaged in various food-related activities on SNS. The types of food-related activities on SNS were ‘information acquisition’ 18.5%, ‘exchange-centered’ 18.4%, and ‘identity pursuit’ 18.1%, with 28.5% of users engaging in all activities.

The activity types varied by group. People in their 20s showed more active participation such as ‘all activities’ (34.4%) and ‘expressing their thoughts or feelings about food’ (20.1%), while those in their 60s (25.4%) and single-person households (31.1%) tended to use SNS more as a means of exchange to share information or news about food with acquaintances or friends.

Gender, Age Group, and Mukbang Viewing Time Proportion and Average Total Viewing Time per Viewer

In the survey on popular cookbang and mukbang shows among citizens, TV was watched more than real-time programs like YouTube (cookbang 48.7%, mukbang 34.6% vs. cookbang 23.5%, mukbang 15.9%), and the viewing time for mukbang was longer than for cookbang. The average weekly viewing time for cookbang (cooking shows) was 1 hour and 8 minutes. The target audience differed by medium: TV was most watched by those aged 70 and above (1 hour 49 minutes), while real-time programs like YouTube were most watched by those aged 18-29 (43 minutes). The average weekly viewing time for mukbang was 1 hour and 18 minutes, 10 minutes longer than cookbang. The group with the longest mukbang viewing time was people in their 20s, with an average viewing time of 1 hour and 46 minutes.

Regarding SNS food-related activities and watching cookbang/mukbang, there were differences in food literacy levels. Respondents who engaged in all activities on SNS and cookbang viewers had higher food literacy, whereas those who watched mukbang for more than one hour had lower food literacy. Food literacy refers to the competencies related to food, including the ability to select and manage food for personal survival and healthy eating, cooking skills, understanding the cultural value of food, and considering the communal and ecological values of food. Citizens who engaged in all types of SNS activities scored 64.5 points in food literacy, 7.5 points higher than those who did not engage in such activities (57.0 points).

Non-viewers of cookbang scored 59.3 points in food literacy, while viewers scored 62.8 points for less than 1 hour of viewing and 63.3 points for more than 1 hour, indicating that viewers had higher food literacy than non-viewers. Non-viewers of mukbang scored 61.3 points, while viewers scored 62.8 points for less than 1 hour and 60.5 points for more than 1 hour, showing that those who watched mukbang for more than 1 hour had the lowest food literacy scores.

As COVID-19 continued, changes in daily life were examined, showing that compared to before COVID-19 (before February 2020), the frequency of using ‘delivery and takeout food’ (49.4%) and ‘online food purchases’ (48.0%) increased. The increase in ‘delivery and takeout food’ usage was higher among younger age groups, especially with 65.4% of people in their 20s showing the highest increase. The increase in ‘online food purchases’ was higher among people in their 30s (70.2%) and 40s (70.0%).

Reflecting the results of this survey, Seoul City plans to develop and provide beneficial food-related content that can enhance food literacy through media such as SNS. In addition, it will strengthen food safety management by expanding safety inspections of the online market and dawn delivery foods, which continue to grow in consumption, and by promoting hygiene consulting for delivery food restaurants.

Park Yumi, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Citizen Health Bureau, said, “This survey analyzed that food information acquisition and activities are largely conducted through SNS and media, and that the trend of increased non-face-to-face food consumption after COVID-19 has spread. Seoul City will strive to enhance citizens’ health and happiness by strengthening food safety both online and offline in accordance with the changed dietary environment.”

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