"7 out of 10 People Feel Burdened by Year-End Gatherings Due to High Inflation and Rising Dining Costs"

Embrain Trend Monitor Year-End Plan Survey
65.7% of Respondents "Feel the Impact of Price Increases"
76.7% "Want to Spend Time with Family"
High Demand for Gatherings and Drinking Among Young People in Their 20s

A survey revealed that 7 out of 10 respondents feel burdened by year-end gatherings this year due to high inflation and rising dining-out costs. A relatively high proportion expressed a desire to calmly wrap up the year with family or acquaintances.

On the 18th, market research firm 'Embrain Trend Monitor' conducted the '2023 Year-End Atmosphere and Year-End Plans Survey' targeting 1,000 adults nationwide (aged 19-59). According to the results, 65.7% of all respondents said they feel burdened by year-end gatherings due to rising prices. Although the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer ongoing, 41.4% said they plan to refrain from year-end gatherings due to the economic downturn and other aftereffects. About 8 out of 10 respondents (77.7%) expressed that they plan to spend this year-end calmly organizing the year, similar to last year.

Specifically, 76.7% of all respondents said they want to spend the year-end with family. Those who said they would keep gatherings light and end early accounted for 81.5%. Additionally, 66.1% preferred gatherings with a small number of people. Among respondents, 50.8% (multiple responses allowed) chose resting at home as their year-end plan, and many also mentioned family gatherings (41.5%).

Embrain explained, "As the gathering environment changed due to COVID-19 and more people became accustomed to it, the demand for year-end gatherings has decreased." In fact, 64.2% of respondents said they are glad that forced gatherings have disappeared, and 53.2% said they would like to have an excuse to avoid gatherings they do not want to attend. Although restrictions for gatherings have eased with the transition to an endemic phase, the number of people reluctant to attend year-end events has increased.

However, it is notable that younger respondents in their 20s showed a higher demand for gatherings and drinking occasions compared to other age groups. Among those in their 20s, 36% said they plan to actively hold gatherings they could not have before this year-end, the highest among all age groups. This was followed by 30s at 24.8%, 50s at 23.2%, and 40s at 18%. The proportion planning to enjoy drinking and similar activities was also highest among those in their 20s at 48%. For those in their 40s, it was 35.2%, and both 30s and 50s recorded 33.6%. An Embrain official stated, "Overall, there is a strong demand to calmly wrap up the year, but there is a growing trend among younger age groups to fully enjoy the year-end atmosphere."