MZ Generation Obsessed with Hiking... The 'Ajae' Hobby of Mountain Lovers Is a Thing of the Past

Continuous Inflow Since COVID-19
20s and 30s Recognize 'Differentiated Experience'
7 out of 10 Plan to Go Hiking This Year

Office worker Kim Mo-shi (33) is a hiking enthusiast. He suggests to his friends around him to go hiking on weekends, and always includes hiking in his travel plans. Kim said, “When I was young, I only found it hard when my parents suggested going to the mountains. I didn’t understand why we were climbing, but now I realize it.” He added, “If the scenery of the sea is monotonous, the scenery of the mountains is diverse. Breathing in the fresh air relieves the fatigue of daily life.”

Citizens visiting Gwanaksan in Sillim-dong, Seoul, are enjoying the holiday in casual attire. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Recently, hiking has become a popular hobby among the 'MZ generation'. In the past, it was considered the exclusive domain of so-called ‘Ajae’ (middle-aged men), but interest has exploded since the COVID-19 pandemic due to it being an outdoor activity with a low risk of infection. Since then, a steady influx of young people in their 20s and 30s has led to more people enjoying hiking.

On the 8th, Embrain Trend Monitor conducted a survey from January 10 to 12 this year targeting 1,000 adults aged 19 to 59 nationwide on ‘Hiking experience and perceptions of domestic hiking culture,’ revealing an increase in young participants. The response to ‘It seems that more young people have been visiting the mountains recently’ was 60.0% among those in their 20s, 72.8% in their 30s, 60.8% in their 40s, and 48.8% in their 50s. Many answered that hiking is perceived as a differentiated experience among the MZ generation and is frequently shared on social networking services (SNS) and internet communities.

In fact, the 'Black Yak Alpine Club' (BAC) is a famous hiking community among the MZ generation. It has a 'Myungsan 100' program where participants visit 100 famous mountains and get certifications. The number of challengers is 227,975, and the number of certifications reaches 4,916,064. Participants must upload a certification photo taken on-site, and GPS coordinates must be verified for certification. On Instagram, posts with the hashtags ‘hiking’ and ‘hikingstagram’ number 5.17 million and 1.78 million, respectively.

Resistance to hiking as a hobby has decreased, and its positive effects are highly valued. 93.0% of respondents thought hiking is an exercise that anyone, regardless of gender or age, can enjoy. Other advantages cited included ‘It allows you to truly feel nature more than any other exercise’ (91.7%), ‘It can be a source of vitality in daily life’ (88.6%), and ‘It seems to strengthen relationships with companions’ (75.8%).

This year’s hiking frequency was reported as ‘about once a year’ (20.9%), ‘about once every 2-3 months’ (17.3%), ‘about once every 6 months’ (11.8%), ‘about once every 4-5 months’ (10.0%), ‘about 2-3 times a month’ (9.5%), and ‘more than once a week’ (8.6%), in that order. Seven out of ten respondents said they intend to hike this year, and many believe it will continue to be a popular hobby.

Professor Lee Eun-hee of Inha University’s Department of Consumer Studies analyzed, “Hiking among the MZ generation is enjoyed together with friends or groups. Exercise or hobbies are difficult to maintain alone, but when people around you join, a synergy effect occurs,” adding, “Hiking itself is being imprinted as a very ‘hot trend’ among young people.”