Finding Stability at the Gym Amid High Rents
Spending on Health and Well-Being Over Drinking and Dining Out
Industry Expands Investment in Multi-Functional Lifestyle Spaces
Among Millennials & Gen Z in the United Kingdom (born in the early 1980s to early 2000s), using "premium gyms" is rapidly emerging as a new trend. Amid poor housing conditions and high rents, gyms are effectively becoming a "second home."
The Guardian recently reported that young people in London are paying gym membership fees ranging from several million to tens of millions of KRW per year. According to the media outlet, 27% of adults under the age of 25 consider gym memberships an essential expense. Among those aged 18 to 24, 18% spend more money on fitness than on social activities, and 16% spend more on fitness than on going to pubs or restaurants.
Luxury Memberships More Expensive Than Rent
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The prices of so-called "luxury gyms" in the UK are staggering. The annual fee for Lanserhof, the high-end medical resort at Arts Club, starts at a minimum of 6,500 pounds (about 12.35 million KRW), while the annual fee for Surrenne in Belgravia is 10,000 pounds (about 19 million KRW), plus a separate joining fee of 5,000 pounds (about 9.5 million KRW). These amounts far exceed the average monthly rent in London, which ranges from 1,500 to 2,000 pounds (about 2.8 to 3.8 million KRW).
Gyms Become a 'Sanctuary' Better Than Home
Nevertheless, young people are willing to pay for gyms. Owen Willis (25), who works in marketing, spends 22 hours a week at a gym in Mayfair, London, paying an annual fee of 3,348 pounds (about 6.3 million KRW).
The gym he uses is equipped with a swimming pool, sauna, Pilates, meditation room, and massage services. Willis expressed his satisfaction, saying, "Compared to a house infested with mice where six people share two showers, a gym with premium amenities is far more comfortable. They even provide toiletries and dry cleaning, which helps save on living expenses."
'Mental Satisfaction' Beyond Exercise
The reasons young people spend on gyms go beyond just working out. Marketing manager Nishka Parekh (26) said, "Sometimes I take a personal training session before going to a pub with friends. Exercise has become a new form of social activity."
Nii Akinsaye (28) spends about 10% of his monthly net income on fitness, yet he shared that luxury gyms help alleviate uncertainties about the future. He said, "Seeing visible results from building my body, and the sense of stability that comes from a gym membership, both bring me satisfaction." He described fitness as "a form of therapy."
Evolving Into Complex Lifestyle Spaces
The industry is seizing this demand as an opportunity to expand investments. The major UK gym chain David Lloyd Clubs announced earlier this year that it invested 500 million pounds (about 938.5 billion KRW) to add shared offices and spas to each location. A company representative stated, "We aim to make gyms spaces where work, relaxation, and leisure are all possible." Another chain, Third Space, is also transforming into a "hotel-style gym" by adding cafes, wellness centers, and workspaces.
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