Low Risk of Infection and Private Spaces... Shared Offices Rising Amid COVID-19

Study Cafes and Reading Rooms Close
Less Contact, Similar Costs
Popular Among University Students and Job Seekers

Amid the implementation of social distancing level 2.5 to prevent the resurgence of COVID-19, a study cafe in Noryangjin, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, was closed and not operating on the 31st of last month. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Is it an office or a study room? University students and job seekers have become regular customers of 'shared offices.' This trend emerged as cafes and study rooms, which they used as 'study spaces,' closed due to strengthened social distancing measures.

Job seeker Kim Do-young (27, pseudonym) is also looking into renting a shared office with acquaintances. The study cafe where Kim used to study is currently closed. However, studying at home with family was not feasible. Kim said, "Even if the study cafe reopens, I am anxious because I don't know when usage might be restricted again. Studying effectively requires a stable place, so I plan to move entirely to a shared office this time."

On the 2nd, posts recruiting study groups for shared offices appeared one after another on job-related smartphone applications and internet cafes. One job seeker wrote, "Is there anyone who wants to sign a one-month contract and try it out first? I will decide again depending on whether the study room opens after one month." About 20 comments expressing interest were posted.

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) this year, the shared office market has been growing significantly. As non-face-to-face work expanded to reduce infection risks, shared offices have been evaluated as absorbing the demand for 'hub offices' that compensate for the efficiency issues of working from home.

The attention shared offices are receiving among university students and job seekers is analyzed in the same context. Unlike study cafes where people study in open spaces, shared offices have partitions like study rooms, so users do not have to worry about their surroundings. Since only study groups of 4 to 5 people use the space, infection concerns are also lower. Rentals are possible for a minimum of one month, and there are spaces available for individual use. The usage fee for a 4-person room is about 800,000 to 900,000 KRW per month, which is not much different from the monthly cost of studying daily at a study cafe (200,000 KRW) or a study room. A shared office company in Gangnam-gu said, "After study cafes and study rooms were closed, we have been receiving many inquiries about renting for study purposes."

Professor Sung Tae-yoon of Yonsei University's Department of Economics said, "While shared economy models involving multiple contacts have become difficult, untact shared economies like shared offices are being activated. The popularity of shared offices among job seekers reflects this trend."