Camping vans are parked on a road near the Daegwallyeong Service Area in Gangwon Province. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 17 (Korea Bizwire) — Due to the aftereffect of the COVID-19 pandemic, South Koreans are increasingly showing preference toward spending time alone not only at home but also in their cars, a major credit card company said Monday.
According to Shinhan Card Co.’s analysis of its card users, the use of driving schools marked growth of 70 percent last year compared to 2019, the last pre-pandemic year.
By age group, the use of driving schools among those in their 30s accounted for 20 percent of the total, up 7 percentage points from the figure marked in 2019.
As more people opt to use private cars rather than public transport, the use of Hi-Pass, an automatic tolling system on major expressways, rose by 14 percent compared to 2019.
In contrast, the use of traffic cards for public transport declined by 19 percent during the period.
The use of car-related services, including car washes, rose by 22 percent compared to 2019.
The use of drive-through stores rose by 3 percent last year compared to 2019, in stark contrast to the 23 percent plunge in the use of general stores.
Leisure and cultural activities through private cars are also on the rise. As drive-in theaters gain popularity among those in their 20s and 30s, the use of Shinhan cards for such purpose jumped by 122 percent last year compared to 2019.
In the meantime, the number of mentions about so-called “chabak” (sleeping in car) or car camping on social media registered a remarkable growth of 924 percent in the second half of last year compared to the second half of 2019.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
