"How Is My Daily Life?" 2030 Addicted to Vlogs

Forming Empathy and Communication with Others Through Vlogs
Active Vlog Filming and Uploading Mainly Among 20s and 30s
Expert: "Vlog Trend Emerges Due to Communication Deficiency"

Recently, it has been observed that the number of users watching or uploading 'vlogs' has been increasing, especially among the younger generation. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] Office worker A (26), who identified himself as a vlogger, recently said he has been filming vlogs frequently, explaining, "I just record what I did during the day as a video diary." He added that he started vlogging because he wanted to remember each moment.

A said, "Writing down daily activities is good, but videos are easier and more convenient," adding, "It's also nice to see other friends' daily lives and communicate with each other."

Recently, the number of users watching or uploading 'vlogs' has been increasing, especially among younger generations. It is analyzed that this is because they are more accustomed to 'videos.'

A vlog is a compound word combining Video and Blog, meaning recording personal experiences in video form as if writing a post on social network services (SNS). It goes beyond traditional diaries written in text or photos by creating and uploading videos.

Vlogs have the characteristic that many people can watch the videos uploaded by individuals through video platforms such as YouTube, AfreecaTV, and various internet streaming services.

Also, people who make vlogs are called 'vloggers.' They record moments they want to remember or share with others in videos and share them on their blogs or SNS. These include various types such as daily life with pets, work life, travel, and food exploration.

According to a perception survey on 'vlog' usage conducted last month by market research firm Embrain Trend Monitor targeting 1,000 men and women aged 15 to 64 nationwide, 44.9% of respondents said they usually record their daily life experiences.

Among them, 85.7% felt that "vlogging and uploading are common, especially among younger generations," mainly people in their 20s and 30s who often shoot and upload daily videos themselves.

A vlog is a compound word combining Video and Blog, referring to recording videos as if writing posts on personal social networking services (SNS). Photo by Yonhap News

The daily activities most frequently recorded were travel (67.7%, multiple responses allowed), followed by meetings with friends/acquaintances (60.8%), nearby outings/visiting attractions (50.8%), and visiting restaurants (50.3%).

Also, 7 out of 10 respondents answered that "through vlogs, they can share others' lives, form empathy, and communicate."

As a result, many people relieve stress and find vitality in daily life through vlogging. Especially due to the prolonged time spent at home caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, people are filming and uploading various indoor activities to communicate with others.

University student B (23) said, "Recently, because of COVID-19, I have been staying at home for long hours, so I film and upload various games. Friends also contacted me asking 'What game is that?' because it looked fun." He added, "Before the COVID-19 situation, I uploaded videos of daily life such as walking my pet or meeting friends." He also said, "I often experience vicarious satisfaction by watching videos uploaded by friends. Watching others' videos is a kind of indirect experience."

Office worker C in his 30s, who recently started vlogging, said, "The advantage of vlogging is that anyone, not just celebrities but also students and office workers, can do it." He added, "It doesn't require special skills, nor is it restricted by time." He continued, "I do it because I want to and enjoy it. It makes me feel like I spent the day meaningfully, so I keep doing it."

On the other hand, some analyze that frequent vlogging is due to loneliness. University student D in his 20s, who has a vlogger friend, said, "(My friend) uploads several videos a day as his daily life and gains satisfaction through comments on the videos." He pointed out, "It seems like he wants attention from others. In fact, he is harming his own daily life."

Previous surveys also showed that the higher the level of loneliness (high 48.6%, medium 45%, low 40.4%), the more experience people have watching vlogs.

Experts analyze this phenomenon as behavior to fill the loneliness caused by a lack of relationships.

Professor Kwak Geumju of the Department of Psychology at Seoul National University said, "Vlogging is popular mainly among young people," and explained, "This is because people use vlogging as a channel to receive feedback and communicate."

She added, "Recently, due to the spread of social distancing caused by COVID-19, people relieve boredom and stress through vlogging. The process of filming vlogs itself brings vitality to their daily lives."

She further explained, "Especially as communication with people around them decreases, this phenomenon appears due to the resulting deficiency. While there are advantages such as gaining satisfaction and reflecting on daily activities, one should avoid becoming addicted to filming and uploading videos and relying on it."