Forty percent of South Koreans take pleasure in being alone at home, marking the highest percentage globally, while they rank lowest in finding rewards in raising children at home.
IKEA, a global home furnishing company, released the 2023 Life at Home Report on Jan. 15, surveying 37,428 consumers in 38 countries, including Europe, Northern Europe, India, Southeast Asia, the United States, and South Korea. While the report only lists consumer responses from 38 countries in numerical terms, a closer examination reveals the “loneliness index” of those living in South Korea. It indicates that South Koreans live in a “nano-society,” an individual society, where people are more comfortable living alone than in a community or with neighbors.
According to the report, 40 percent of South Korean respondents found the most joy in being alone at home, securing the top globally. Singapore came next with 39 percent, followed by Japan at 35 percent, Switzerland at 33 percent, and the U.S. at 31 percent. The global average was around 30 percent.
In contrast, Ireland (43 percent) and Denmark (42 percent) stood out as countries where most said they enjoy laughing with people around them at home. The U.S. ranked 16th with 35 percent, and Japan 36th with 21 percent. South Korea found itself at the lowest point, with merely 14 percent of respondents, compared to the global average of 33 percent.
South Korean respondents showed less interest in spending time with their children or grandchildren than in other countries. Only 8 percent of the respondents answered that they find joy and reward in raising their children or grandchildren at home, marking the lowest global figure, as the worldwide average stood at 22 percent. Croatia took the lead with 36 percent, followed by the Netherlands (30 percent), France (25 percent), the U.S. (19 percent), and Japan (10 percent).
Regarding connecting with neighbors, South Korea ranked much lower than other countries, with only 9 percent of respondents feeling a sense of belonging through interactions with neighbors, the lowest worldwide. The global average was about 25 percent.
South Koreans also differ significantly from other countries regarding how they spend their leisure time. Only 6 percent and 18 percent of respondents in South Korea said they get pleasure from changing the interior of their home or feel rewarded by doing household chores, in contrast to global averages of 25 percent and 33 percent, respectively.
Some 28 percent of South Koreans answered that taking a nap brings them the most joy in their home life, surpassing the global average of 20 percent.
