[Jihye Choi's Trend] Communication Methods of Generation Z Unknown to Older Generations

The first keyword of ‘Trend Korea 2022’ is ‘Nano Society.’ It means that communities fragment into individuals scattered like grains of sand, and individuals break down into even finer entities, becoming isolated islands that do not even know each other's names. When this keyword is explained in public lectures, the audience’s expressions quickly darken, followed by questions like, “If people become so isolated and scattered, will the concept of community disappear?” Usually, such questions reflect the older generation’s concerns about the individualization trend among today’s youth. Are the young people of this era, namely Generation Z, really scattered like grains of sand? How does Generation Z form relationships and communicate with friends or others? Let’s explore the new communication methods of Generation Z that the older generation does not know.

The first is how Generation Z communicates with acquaintances. Recently, Instagram Stories have featured many “Add Yours” stickers. Introduced by Instagram in November 2021, the “Add Yours” sticker allows multiple people to consecutively post stories on the same topic. For example, if someone posts on a specific theme like ‘My look last winter,’ ‘Sharing what I ate today,’ or ‘Photos of my desk while studying for exams,’ communication can revolve around that topic. Generation Z uses this feature to exchange light questions with acquaintances, checking in and maintaining relationships.

Sometimes, blogs become a channel for communication with acquaintances. Blogs, once thought to be overshadowed by social media, are experiencing a revival among Generation Z. Blogs serve various purposes such as recording a productive life or sharing information, but they are often used to document daily life. The most important reason Generation Z returns to blogs is their privacy. When close friends become neighbors on a blog, only neighbors can view each other’s posts. Generation Z checks in by reading blog diaries written by friends they have connected with as neighbors.

Generation Z also uses games as a means of checking in. The English word-guessing game Wordle is the hottest game worldwide. Released by Josh Wardle in October 2021, Wordle had over 300,000 users as of January 2022 and was acquired by The New York Times on January 31, 2022. Although it is a simple word-guessing game, its popularity is attributed to the easy sharing of results via a share button. By playing the game, one can check a friend’s current state and well-being.

The second is Generation Z’s unique way of forming new relationships. The most representative method is non-face-to-face matchmaking services. The ‘Notion Resume Matchmaking’ introduced in 2021 by the culture and arts-based community ‘Netple Yeonga’ is intriguing. Notion is a productivity app for work collaboration, usually used for various work-related purposes, but it is being used for matchmaking. In Notion Resume Matchmaking, users fill out and submit their information using a resume form provided by Netple Yeonga. The community sends one resume per week to those who submitted theirs for free, and if the recipient likes the resume, they can anonymously request a conversation. One might wonder, ‘Do I have to write a resume for matchmaking?’ but it is a hot topic among Generation Z. Using Notion, known as a tool for efficient workers, to create a resume gives an image of living a productive life, and it is attractive because it can detail preferences rather than just qualifications.

Lastly, Generation Z is also active in communication that supports and encourages each other’s daily lives. Recently, the schedule management app ‘ToDoMate’ has become popular among Generation Z. Although there are many schedule management apps, ToDoMate is unique because it allows users to share their schedules with others. These others can be not only close acquaintances but also unspecified many people. ‘Sharing my schedule with strangers?’ might be hard to understand at first, but Generation Z uses it to view others’ schedules or to-do lists, leaving simple reactions with emojis and offering encouragement and support. Even though they are strangers, seeing people practicing a productive life helps them stay motivated.

The app ‘Yeolpumta,’ known as a must-have for university students, works similarly. Yeolpumta, short for ‘Timer that Embraces Passion,’ targets ‘hon-gong-jok’ (those who study alone). As of December 2021, it had 420,000 monthly active users. What makes Yeolpumta interesting is that users can check in real-time whether other students or friends are currently studying, how long they have studied, or if they are resting. Generation Z gets motivated by seeing friends’ study records on Yeolpumta and encourages and supports each other.

COVID-19 demanded social distancing not only from Generation Z but from all generations, turning us into physically isolated islands during the pandemic. In that sense, the nano society is still ongoing. However, humans cannot live alone. According to the Fair Trade Commission’s survey, the online gift market size in 2021 was estimated to be around 5 trillion won. This is evidence that even during long periods of social distancing, we wanted to convey our feelings and communicate. Generation Z is no different. Individuals scattered like grains of sand communicate and form relationships in their own ways. It is just unfamiliar because these methods are unimaginable to the older generation. Generation Z, who transform and expand the uses of digital platforms to communicate and unite in their own ways, presents new standards of communication. It is time for the market to flexibly adapt so that they can demonstrate their characteristics as creative communicators.

Jihye Choi, Research Fellow, Consumer Trend Analysis Center, Seoul National University