"Increased Visits to Local Supermarkets, Decreased Department Store Traffic"…Industry Changes During COVID-19 Seen Through Big Data

'The 1st KCCI Next Trend' Seminar
Camping Sites, Golf Courses, Psychiatry Clinics Among Most Visited

Lee Jae-ho, head of the Digital Economy Research Institute at Kakao Mobility, is giving an online lecture on the 25th, invited by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on the topic "Changes in Our Lives Seen Through Mobility Big Data in the COVID-19 Era."

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] Jaeho Lee, head of the Digital Economy Research Institute at Kakao Mobility, stated, "After the outbreak of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), overseas travel was blocked, leading to a significant decrease in visits to crowded places such as duty-free shops, department stores, and large supermarkets compared to the previous year. On the other hand, visits to small convenience stores, daily necessities stores, and neighborhood supermarkets close to residential areas have greatly increased."

On the 25th, Lee made these remarks during the first online lecture of the 'KCCI Next Trend' series, hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, under the theme 'Changes in Our Lives Seen Through Mobility Big Data in the COVID-19 Era.'

In his lecture, Lee introduced the results of analyzing new lifestyle and consumption trends before and after COVID-19 using 'mobility big data,' which best captures direct changes in the floating population in daily life. He emphasized that, similar to the increase in visits to small stores rather than large-scale stores with high population density, these consumption trends have broadly influenced various fields such as travel, sports, leisure activities, work environments, and psychological changes.

Regarding travel trends, as demand for local festivals decreased, the number of users of domestic hotels, condos, and resorts declined, whereas demand for outdoor camping sites and campgrounds such as national parks, mountains, and valleys increased by more than 77% compared to before the full-scale spread of COVID-19.

Compared to large-scale indoor multi-use cultural facilities such as performances, movies, museums, hot springs, and jjimjilbangs, visits to drive-in theaters and skin care shops greatly increased due to social distancing measures.

Lee particularly explained that domestic demand for golf courses in the field of recreational sports has explosively increased. Big data confirmed a strong tendency to prefer outdoor activities such as hiking and outdoor fishing spots over indoor sports facilities like swimming pools and bowling alleys due to overseas travel restrictions. Places like zoos and theme parks, which children frequently visit, have been replaced by baby product stores and toy stores, indicating significant changes in childcare activities.

The normalization of working from home due to social distancing has greatly increased the purchase of home furniture such as desks and chairs, as well as laptops, cameras, and other equipment necessary for video conferencing. Instead of medical institutions such as postpartum care centers and nursing hospitals for the elderly, there has been an increase in visits to psychiatric clinics, pharmacies, and plastic surgery clinics by those complaining of depression and lethargy.

Lee emphasized, "Despite the overall economic downturn caused by COVID-19, new revenue-generating sectors are emerging," adding, "Our companies must leverage change and experience as another growth opportunity." He also added, "In corporate management and government policy formulation, it is necessary to understand big data that shows changes in the post-COVID era and prepare proactively."

Meanwhile, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry plans to continuously present various contents reflecting the latest trends so that Korean companies can discover new business opportunities and secure future markets in the COVID-19 era.