The number of people who enjoy spending time at home is increasing. They are called ‘Home Ludens’ that is a term borrowed from Johan Huizinga’s book titled “Homo Ludens”. According to research from job portals, almost 60 percent of the respondents in their twenties and thirties regarded themselves as ‘Home Ludens’. The activities they usually do at home are followed by watching movies and dramas, drinking self-made coffee, shopping on the Internet, reading books, and so on. Jang Hyo-seung (Freshman, Dept. of German Language and Literature) shared her home-life with cooking, drawing, and coloring in coloring books, etc. All these home activities she enjoys make her life exciting. “When I enjoy at-home activities, I do not need to care about others except for myself. I start with what I am interested in, and quit whenever I want,” she added.
    What made the Home Ludens come up as a lifestyle trend? The trend is based on the environmental benefits such as products, technology, and delivery services, but the sociocultural atmosphere has strengthened this trend. Nowadays young people need a shelter to heal from their pain that they got in society. They also want to overcome or cope with their stress, by finding small happiness in their daily lives and focusing on themselves in their free time in their private place. For them, home is a special space for expressing their taste and seeking happiness beyond a simple place. Therefore, homebodies prefer enjoying at-home activities for their life satisfaction.

Watching Movies 
    As mentioned in the research above, one of most loved at-home activities is watching diverse movies or dramas on bed in a room, using platforms like Netflix which has drawn many users’ attraction recently. A single bed would be like a VIP theater as long as a small beam projector projects movies on the wall. People do not have to go to a cinema to watch a movie, because using home-cinema equipment is more convenient.

Enjoying Coffee
    Enjoying coffee is becoming a daily routine for all ages, and people who want make specialty coffee at home is increasing. Video clips of making drinks are also loved on YouTube. A capsule coffee machine would be the best answer for those who are not expertized in coffee brewing. At home, advanced coffee brewing skills are not needed. Putting in the capsule you want, pressing the ‘brew’ button, and waiting for a few minutes is enough for your fragrant coffee time. Anyone can be a home barista.

Training Workouts
    Exercising at home is another useful activity because homebodies can pay attention to their body and physical health. They usually watch videos on YouTube to learn the correct exercising posture without signing up for a gym. They can choose a channel that fits them depending on the body part or exercise intensity. The reason why home training is becoming a trend is that it takes less time, it is done in a convenient place and is less costly. With at home-exercising gaining popularity, the demand for related goods for home use such as foam rollers, gym balls and Yoga mats is rising.

Having Parties
    Throwing a party at home would be a special experience for everyone. People share food and drinks with close friends and family at a house party on special days. Party decorations like balloons, mini-bulbs and garlands are growing in popularity making them hot items for a plentiful party. The convenience of Meal kits with pre-cooked ingredients and recipes also make people prepare for their house party easily. Based on these products and services, experts predict that the home-party trend will continue to grow.
 

By Park Min-ji, Tribune Reporter