As COVID-19 has prolonged, it is changing the way we live every day. By limiting outside activities and social distancing, more and more people have to stay home to slow down the spreading of the coronavirus. This phenomenon led people to find different ways to cope with never-ending boredom at home, which makes them become “Home Ludens”. Home Ludens is a compound word of ‘Homo Ludens,’ which means a person who plays, and ‘Home.’ It is a newly coined expression that combines our new daily lives, where we play and enjoy a lot of activities – at home. This tendency plunges the off-line circulation market into the worst recession and affects the economic ecosystem as a whole. These are the emerging consumer trends of the world in the pandemic.
The concept of residential space is changing as the time spent at home increases, including the expansion of online classes. Although the existing concept of a house has been recognized as a resting place, it has turned into a space for the so-called “homeconomy”, where various economic activities such as an office, a cafe, and a fitness center take place. Homeconomy is a combination of home and economy, which refers to the behavior of solving all consumption at home or online for a non-face-to-face relationship.
As a result, living, interior, and food have recorded significant sales growth, expanding the Home Ludens market. For example, sales of digital appliances such as laptops and monitors as well as toys such as puzzles and blocks have increased. Exercise equipment sales have also escalated for dieting and staying fit. Spending on delivery food has spiked, and at-home cooking that people make and eat at home is gaining popularity. Those who cook have enjoyed developing their recipe and sharing it with their followers on social media platforms. People can find many simple dishes to purchase such as meal kits and half-cooked homemade snacks online easily if cooking isn’t their best skill. Furthermore, a unique camping culture has begun with the emergence of home camping enjoyed in the living room or veranda with camping-related items. With all these new appliances and at-home entertainment, Homo Ludens has solved the absence of cafes, movie theaters, and fitness centers – in the comfort of home.
While it seemed like the global pandemic stopped the world from turning, people have found a way to keep the fun alive – without breaking the code of social distancing. The community of Home Ludens has changed the consumption pattern to various appliances, activities, and at-home meals. Nothing can replace the personal touch of in-person interactions. Instead of wasting days away at home, bored, how about joining the new normal of homeconomy?
Nahyun Lee
Asia Journal
(Los Angeles Times Advertising Supplement)
