Amid High Prices and Martial Law, Wallets Closed but Open for 'Hobbies'... Companies Smile at 'Hobbyshumers'

Active 'Hobby Spending' Trend Gains Momentum
Surge in Hobbysumers Revitalizes Online Classes
Hobby Market Poised for Further Growth Backed by IT Infrastructure

#Ms. Kang, a housewife in her 30s, recently took an online pen drawing class. Ms. Kang, who always wanted to capture everyday moments with her child in a special way, now expresses those moments through drawings. She said, "Learning pen drawing allows me to capture the playful expressions of my child and precious moments in daily life, which makes me proud," adding, "I want to try other hobby classes as well."

#Mr. Park, a 30-something office worker whose hobby is writing, plans to take on a new challenge beyond just a pastime. Mr. Park expressed his ambition, saying, "I plan to create a pen name and debut as a children's book author." He added, "I want to develop a habit of consistently writing children's stories and turn it into a side job." For Mr. Park, writing is an opportunity that opens new possibilities.

Despite the dampened consumer sentiment caused by high inflation and the emergency martial law on December 3rd, there is an exception when it comes to hobbies. The number of 'Hobbysumers'?consumers who actively relieve stress and seek emotional satisfaction through hobby-related spending?is increasing. The term 'Hobbysumer' is a blend of 'Hobby' and 'Consumer,' referring to consumers who invest generously in their hobbies. Moreover, some are dreaming beyond hobbies to side businesses and startups, benefiting companies targeting this market.

The number of 'Hobbyshumers' who actively pursue spending on hobbies is increasing. AI image

According to the online lecture platform 'Class101' on the 12th, sales in the hobby category from January to February this year increased by 304% compared to the previous year. Particularly, lifestyle fields such as magic and dance grew more than tenfold year-on-year, while digital drawing (5 times), music (3.5 times), photography and video (3.4 times), and crafts (2.6 times) also showed remarkable sales growth.

The funding platform 'Wadiz' showed similar trends. During the same period, funding amounts in self-development and hobby fields such as calligraphy, ballet, and illustration increased by 49% compared to the previous year. Choi Hyun-mi, CEO of a company that conducted online calligraphy class funding, said, "Many participants joined to learn handwriting that could be seen as a talent by others, aiming for self-satisfaction and healing."

Online classes are a good choice for Hobbysumers because they allow enjoying hobbies in a short time and resuming lessons anytime by reconnecting. Especially, it is analyzed that hobby activities, which started to relieve social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, naturally expanded into online classes. Professor Lee Eun-hee of Inha University’s Department of Consumer Studies explained, "With a well-established digital environment, there are countless ways to learn preferred hobbies using spare time," adding, "The social distancing caused by COVID-19 led to efforts to escape isolation, promoting immersion in indoor hobbies, and in this process, learning through online classes has been activated."

‘Hobby Spending’ Is an Exception Even When Consumer Sentiment Freezes

Hobbysumers continue to spend on hobbies for self-satisfaction and anxiety relief despite the consumer sentiment index (CCSI) falling below 100 early this year amid high inflation and the aftermath of the December 3rd emergency martial law, reflecting an economic downturn. Even though the amounts can be relatively large, they do not hesitate to spend from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of Korean won.

Moreover, some Hobbysumers are moving beyond simple hobbies to seek opportunities for side jobs or startups through skill enhancement. In response to this demand, Class101 held the '2025 Handmade Side Business Live Seminar' last month, providing a venue to share know-how on monetizing handmade works and starting a business.

As the number of Hobbysumers who enjoy hobbies while exploring new possibilities increases, the related market is expected to expand further. Professor Lee said, "The most important point is that not only is it easy to learn, but also an information environment has been created where people can easily meet others who cheer for the content or results they create," adding, "This means that market formation can also be facilitated accordingly."