
Sixty percent of surveyed Koreans prefer attending movies or cultural events in person, and they spend an average of 187,000 won ($127) per month on leisure activities, according to a recent survey.
The study, conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, surveyed Korean nationals’ attendance at cultural and arts events. It found that 63 percent of respondents engage in these activities in nonvirtual formats. The rate of in-person attendance at cultural events has steadily increased since 2021, when it was at 33.6 percent.
By event type, moviegoers represent the largest group, making up 57 percent of participants, followed by those attending popular music and theater performances (14.6 percent) and musicals (6.4 percent). The number of moviegoers saw the largest on-year increase, rising by 4.6 percentage points.
On average, Korean people spend 187,000 won on monthly leisure activities, a decline of 14,000 won from the previous year. This decline may be attributed to the growing popularity of virtual entertainment options and weaker consumer spending due to inflation.