More spending Chuseok alone: data

By Lee Kyung-min

An increasing number of people in Korea are expected to spend the upcoming Chuseok holiday alone, data showed Monday.

Daumsoft, an artificial intelligence-based big data analysis company, analyzed keywords searched online between Aug.1 in 2015 and Sept. 18 this year.

The most-searched keyword was travel (27,312 searches), followed by (going on a) diet (14,392), work (7,365), part-time jobs (1,233). Hometown was the fifth-most-searched word.

The company said the data reflects a growing trend among young Koreans who opt to stay single and seek out activities one can enjoy without being interrupted by others.

In the past, the company said, many people associated national holidays with family-oriented activities including making traditional food, visiting parents and relatives and buying gifts for them. However, as many young adults choose to stay single, many of them consider the holidays a time off from work, and plan trips for the holiday.

The assessment is apt, according to an office worker, surnamed Cho, who plans to stay home for the weeklong Chuseok holiday this year.

“I don’t want to be bothered by anyone in general, not to mention by unnecessary scolding from nosy relatives who pretend to care for me. They just ask me why I do not conform with the societal norm that people should get married,” she said.

“In the past before I had a job, I had to visit my grandparents which did nothing but stress me out and give me an earful about appreciating the values of getting married and having children. I no longer want to tolerate that. That’s why I’m planning to stay home alone, safe from interruption.”