"Reading and Listening to Music Have Disappeared": The Changing Landscape of Korean Hobbies After 20 Years

The leisure landscape of the people of South Korea has changed over the past 20 years. Unlike the patterns of hobbies in the past, activities centered around the digital environment are appearing prominently in recent times.

Decrease in Inner Time and Increase in Gaming and Video Watching

According to an MKTV KIM MIKYUNG TV video, the results of a 20-year tracking survey on Korean hobbies conducted by Gallup Korea show a symbolic change. In 2004, the top rankings for hobbies were occupied by hiking, reading, and listening to music. At that time, people would listen to music while reflecting on the past, or read books to imagine new things and reveal inner issues.

However, now that 20 years have passed, the video confirms that the center of hobbies has shifted. Currently, the number one hobby is computer gaming, followed by exercise, hiking, and video watching, which form the top rankings. The most noticeable change is that reading and listening to music, which were in the top ranks in the past, have been pushed significantly down the rankings. The video explains that people now have less time to converse with their inner selves and are appearing as "spectators" who consume others' content through games or video watching. In particular, it was mentioned that as video watching increases, a habit of leaving comments on others' content instead of writing long texts with one's own thoughts may develop.

Diverse Leisure Patterns Appearing by Generation

There are also differences in the patterns appearing by generation. Recently, the 2030 generation has been actively enjoying walking and running based on high interest in health. They strive to maintain a healthy environment and try to improve their quality of life by balancing work and hobbies, such as purchasing equipment for running or visiting Yangyang for surfing.

On the other hand, the main leisure activities of the 5060 generation appeared in the order of watching TV (40%), walking, consuming mobile content, and internet searching. The video mentions that what one does in life after the age of 60 can define that person, and explains that it is important to find active hobbies beyond simple media consumption.

The patterns of hobbies have become very diverse across all age groups. Personalized hobbies such as gardening, Go, knitting, singing, swimming, cooking, baking, cycling, billiards, drawing, and sewing are spreading. To maintain healthy hobbies, it is suggested to stay away from mobile phones even for 30 minutes a day and start activities that involve moving the body directly, such as walking or light exercise.