Home > National > Social Affairs

Device detox: Combating digital fatigue in a hyper-connected Korea

Published: 25 May. 2026, 07:00

Young people take part in digital detox activities at the National Youth Internet Dream Village in Seoul in 2025. [National Center For Youth Internet Addiction Treatment]

The irresistible pull of sleek rectangular devices with access to bottomless feeds curated by tailored algorithms has cooked up a reactionary impulse among some Koreans.

Digital detoxing, also known as digital fasting, where individuals purposefully remove themselves from their devices for a prolonged period of time, is an emerging practice among Koreans looking for an antidote to doomscrolling. The venues for these detoxes come in all shapes and sizes, from quaint coffee shops to places of worship.

Seoul's cafes are often filled with people sipping tall Americanos while tapping away at their computers or scrolling through their phones. If their heads aren't buried in the content of their device, they're likely snapping photos or taking videos.

But at COUCH Coffee, located in Yongsan District, near Seoul Station, on May 12, the only thing being tapped is the espresso puck as owner Kim Jun-o whips up another round of flat whites.

That's because Kim banned devices from his café when he opened doors several years ago.

The shopfront of COUCH Coffee in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on May 12 [Fergus Goodall Smith]

"There are many ways to distract from screen time and dopamine hits in Korea, but there isn't a way in cafe culture. So, I wanted to present coffee as one of the ways to get away [from devices]" said Kim.

Kim thinks cafes in Korea are no longer about coffee, but social media. "The focus is 'in cafe, not coffee' I want them to focus on coffee, the flavor," he said, back to the "basics."

"SNS, Instagram, YouTube, I think this is such a drug," Kim said. "It's very short, and there's nothing there for themselves, no time."

Several young Koreans spoke of their screentime woes, mainly caused by short-form media and calculated algorithms. Experts warn that screen-time use can have detrimental side effects, such as increased stress and sleep disruption, citing these drawbacks as evidence for the growing demand for digital detoxes.

Screen time tribulations

Walking around the campus of Yonsei University in central Seoul, it's hard not to notice a common denominator among students enjoying the last of the sun on a warm evening on May 8.

"I'm an addict," said Han Joo, a student at the university. She told the Korea JoongAng Daily she spends too much time on her devices, particularly short-form social media platforms like YouTube Shorts.

Han said she tries to decrease her screen time, but her methods aren't effective. "I sometimes feel frustrated, because I'm always trying to limit my screentime, but I always fail."

Kim Jay, another student at Yonsei, explained how, when he was younger, touch screens and social media weren't what they are now. "Smartphones were not yet very popular at that time." For the younger generation, modern technology has been a constant, he explained.

Students on their phones at Yonsei University in Sinchon-dong in central Seoul on May 15. [Fergus Goodall Smith]

A study released in March of this year by the journal Psychiatry Investigation showed that, from a pool of 231,292 participants, 57 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 18 in Korea used smartphones for over 4 hours a day, and that the more one used their device, the higher the odds of loneliness, depressive moods and perceived stress.

Kim Eun-gyeong, a professor of nursing at Korea University, said recent Korean and international research suggests that excessive screen exposure is increasingly linked to mental health strain, especially among adolescents and young adults.

Prof. Kim said Korea is a particularly interesting example because screen overuse is not simply an entertainment issue.

"Korea's hyper-connectivity is something of a double-edged sword," said Prof. Kim.

"It has undoubtedly contributed to economic growth, technological innovation and social convenience. However, it has also made disconnecting more difficult both socially and professionally.

In Korea's highly competitive culture, there can be strong pressure to remain constantly available, informed, and productive. As a result, digital devices often function not only as tools for work and study, but also as forms of emotional escape and stress relief."

Screentime stats provided by a user on the condition of anonymity on May 18. [Fergus Goodall Smith]

Prof. Kim's remarks echoed the experiences of students like Han.

Lee Ga-young, a counselor at the Internet Addiction Prevention Center (IAPC) Gyeonggi Branch, told the Korea JoongAng Daily there was certainly demand for counseling coming from college students.

The IAPC is a Korean institute with a focus on preventing over-dependence on smartphones and the internet. They offer free counseling services for anyone who calls.

He said not everyone necessarily has severe dependencies on their devices. "Some simply want to use their phones more mindfully, while others are dealing with more serious problems and want to fix them. There are different groups."

Prof. Kim warned against looking at raw screen time data as the measuring stick for harm and hazards. While screen time may be high for some, it's the addictive and compulsive behaviors that are concerning.

Pick your detox

Publicly-funded detox programs are another option. The National Youth Internet Dream Village in Muju County, North Jeolla, runs year-round residential camps specifically designed for digital detox and healthy device usage.

Dream Village manager Shin Yong-chool said the camps had been operating since 2014, 22 per year with 24 in each cohort. Shin said the camps were designed for younger people with more serious addiction problems when it came to their devices. "A significant portion of the students in the camps are addicted to their phones to the point that they refuse to go to school," Shin said.

Young people take part in detox activities at the National Youth Internet Dream Village in Seoul in 2025. [National Center For Youth Internet Addiction Treatment]

The camp acts like a kind of rehab center for young people. Those who attend have trouble functioning day-to-day as a result of their dependence on smartphones and other devices.

Another online detox space is GoDok Stay, located along Gyeongui Line Book Street in Hongdae. GoDok was set up as a place for customers to feel a sense of solitude. Participants would literally lock their devices away in cages, and then focus on mindfulness activities for two hours, in a kind of mini temple stay.

GoDok Stay recently closed, but Si-jun, a friend of the owner who currently works in the space, said it was difficult to monetize such an activity.

The hidden entrance to GoDok Stay, a former "digital fasting center " in Hongdae , western Seoul, on May 15. [Fergus Goodall Smith]

Si-jun said customers want "human-to-human connection" more than just to be alone without their devices. She now uses the GoDok Stay for "social journaling." Friends and strangers gather and journal together, almost like a mini thinktank. Ideas normally focus on their careers, goals and passions.

Si-jun said the journaling is a way for people to share ideas and advice without, for example, immediately reaching out to an AI chatbot for help.

Unplugged, a cafe based in Hongdae, doesn't have a strict device ban, but is unique in the fact that it acts as a creative outlet, welcoming musicians to practice their music, usually acoustic guitar, while they sip at their coffee and disconnect from devices.

Visiting the store, most customers are busy bouncing ideas off each other, guitars in hand, or seem simply lost in thought while gently strumming. The only person with a laptop is the owner.

Unplugged cafe, where customers can find a creative outlet, in Hongdae, western Seoul, on May 8. [Fergus Goodall Smith]

Back to basics

Others choose a more traditional method for their mindfulness.

Jun Ye-lin, a student at Yonsei University, says church is her way of detoxing. "When I go to church every Sunday, I usually don't use my phone for 8 or 9 hours."

Jun said being away from her device for that long made her feel like a more social person. "I feel like I can connect with more people, it's detoxing."

Prof. Kim said Seoul has seen a gradual increase in cafes and other areas that also act as wellness-oriented spaces as well as mindfulness programs that encourage visitors to reduce smartphone use and become more present in offline environments.

"There also seems to be growing public interest in balancing online and offline life," said Kim.

Detoxing isn't just about being away from a screen; it's about carving out time to be present, and to let your thoughts wander instead without risk of ensnarement by an algorithm.

While it remains to be seen whether digital detoxes become mainstream, more people are clearly seeking a screentime off-ramp.

Kim Jun-o from COUCH Coffee thinks Koreans need more moments like that.

"Most of the time, Korean people don't even get to think," he said. "We should take time to be alone and be present. I just wanted to tell people, maybe we need that."

BY FERGUS GOODALL SMITH [[email protected]]