'Corona Blue' Goes Away, 'Classic Blue' Comes? [Reading Science]

There is a color called 'Classic Blue.' It is a color that suggests the dusky sky at sunset and is said to embody the hopes of people who want to create a stable foundation.
[Photo by PANTONE KOREA homepage promotional video capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jonghwa] Can 'color' comfort people? People are depressed due to the pandemic of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). The word Blue itself carries the meaning of sadness. Nowadays, the term 'corona blue' has become popular as a kind of illness.

Corona blue refers to depression caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a word created by combining 'corona' from COVID-19 and 'blue,' which means feeling down. It describes cases where psychological effects stemming from anxiety and fear of infection are amplified by self-quarantine and economic instability, developing into anxiety disorders.

In fact, as the COVID-19 situation has prolonged, many people are suffering from corona blue. How did blue come to be used more often to mean sadness rather than its original meaning of young and fresh?

The color blue is one of the most favored colors in the fashion industry. Therefore, there are many varieties: sky blue, cobalt blue (azure blue), navy blue (dark blue), and countless others.

Among the many blues, the color recently gaining attention is 'Classic Blue.' Unlike other blues, Classic Blue is a calm and stable shade reminiscent of the sky at dusk. Its subdued and meditative tone is said to soothe and bring tranquility to the human mind.

Classic Blue began to attract attention when the global color research institute PANTONE announced it as the 'Color of the Year' in 2020. Founded in 1963, PANTONE is a color research company known worldwide for assigning unique numbers to various colors and operating the 'Pantone Matching System (PMS)'.

Headquartered in New Jersey, USA, Pantone's colors are recognized as standard colors across various fields such as visual arts, fashion, digital media, and architecture. Pantone selects and announces the Color of the Year annually, which greatly influences fashion and design trends.

The selection committee conducts market research to identify the colors of various products to be introduced in all markets including fashion and digital, then analyzes which colors consumers will prefer in the future. The key point is not to choose colors currently favored by consumers but to predict which colors will captivate consumers going forward. Thus, at the end of last year, Pantone selected Classic Blue as the Color of the Year.

Various colors including Classic Blue and Baby Blue registered in Pantone's PMS.
[Photo by PANTONE]

Pantone explained the reason for choosing Classic Blue as the Color of the Year: "Classic Blue, a timeless shade of blue, stands out for its simplicity, and the darkening sky at dusk expresses our desire to establish a stable foundation as we enter a new era."

They added, "What many people around the world today?in the US, UK, Hong Kong, Syria, and elsewhere?are feeling is 'instability.' We thought that the feelings of relief, confidence, and solidarity people seek in uncertain environments lie in the shadows of dusk, which is why we selected Classic Blue, reminiscent of the twilight sky."

Did Pantone anticipate 'corona blue' before the COVID-19 outbreak? Looking at the photo Pantone emphasized featuring two people reaching out their hands in the dusk Classic Blue, no sadness is felt. Instead, it enhances concentration and evokes a calmer, more stable tranquility.

We hope Classic Blue can be a color that comforts and gives hope to those feeling depressed due to COVID-19. This year started off gloomy. Although it is just a color, it would be good if people could find comfort in it. We look forward to Classic Blue becoming widespread instead of corona blue, bringing a stable and peaceful year.