More people drinking alone at home amid pandemic

By Jun Ji-hye

The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has brought changes in drinking practices here, with more people opting to drink alone at home to avoid crowded bars or restaurants, according to a survey released by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Friday.

In the survey of 2,000 people ― conducted from Nov. 4 to 11 ― 35.7 percent of respondents said they have spent less time drinking since the coronavirus broke out in the country in January, while 36.2 percent said the pandemic has affected where they drink.

An overwhelming number of people appear to be drinking at home instead of at bars or restaurants, as 92.9 percent of respondents said so.

Those who chose to drink at friends' homes accounted for 62.9 percent when several answers were allowed, while 35.8 percent said they were still drinking at bars or restaurants. Around 82.4 percent said they used to drink at bars before COVID-19, according to the survey.

About 20 percent of respondents said there have also been changes in who they drink with. Among this group, 81.9 percent said they opted to drink alone, while 76.7 percent chose to drink with family members. Before the public health crisis, 90 percent of respondents said they used to drink with friends.