Hello, this is Jisoo's 상. Today, I would like to talk about the growing culture of gatherings. We are seeing a lot of meetings arising, such as running, reading, hiking, CrossFit, climbing, tennis, and many more. This culture is particularly thriving in Seoul. What could be the reason for this? 

First, let's take a look at where the culture of running and fitness began. This movement can be traced back to the fitness boom in the United States during the 1960s. As public awareness of health increased, marathons became popular, leading to a greater interest in exercise among many people. If we delve a little deeper, we can see a strong connection to the voluntary associations in Europe, specifically the guilds, which were merchant associations. Those of you who have played games may have heard of guilds. They refer to groups that users voluntarily create, such as clans or clubs. The original concept dates back to medieval Europe.

Guilds are voluntary associations formed by merchants, craftsmen, and artisans to protect the rights of their members. Such organizations began to emerge only after a certain period in the Middle Ages. So, why weren't there such phenomena before that? The reason is that there was no need for them; the extended family, connected by blood, could be seen as a necessary social unit. It wasn't a voluntarily created organization; it simply existed because people were born into it. However, as these extended families began to disband, nuclear families emerged. Within these small families, there were unmet needs, and to satisfy these needs, people started to form voluntary associations, seeking to fulfill their desires there. The emergence of nuclear families in Europe is a familiar concept to us, but in the context of world history, it is quite an abnormal form.

The cause of the nuclear family was the church. The Western church strongly prohibited marriages between certain relatives, such as sisters-in-law and cousins, which led to the emergence of the nuclear family. Additionally, the United States has a unique condition: many people have migrated there. There are books discussing this phenomenon, such as The Age of the Nuclear Individual. We have moved from extended families to nuclear families, and now we are entering an era of individualization. People are starting to live not just in family units but as single individuals. This can be seen as a very special characteristic of the information age, which was unimaginable in previous eras. Originally, humans could not live alone; they had to collaborate with others to survive. However, with innovations in distribution and communication, a world has emerged where both men and women can live sufficiently on their own. But for 100,000 years...

In the history of humanity, people have never lived alone, so it is inevitable that they feel loneliness. This is why gatherings like running clubs and hiking groups, which can help alleviate loneliness, are sprouting up everywhere. The same goes for gaming. Earlier, I mentioned the topic of gaming guilds. The gaming world can be seen as a cyber space where individuals come together, and since it consists of individual users, guilds and clans have emerged spontaneously. Furthermore, the characteristics of the current region of Seoul can be compared to those of the United States or the gaming world, particularly in terms of migration from other regions. People are not moving with their families; rather, individuals are coming alone, which is a very similar aspect. The phenomenon of single-person households is particularly prominent in Seoul.

It's hard to imagine where in the world such a dense concentration exists. As I mentioned earlier, during the guilds of medieval Europe, people came together based on the goods they sold or the craftsmanship they practiced. Similarly, individuals in Seoul are acquiring their own unique skills, which can include athletic abilities. This leads to a desire to connect with others who share those skills. Naturally, as marriage rates decline, the time spent as individuals has significantly increased, leading to a dramatic rise in the population living alone. Consequently, the demand for gatherings has surged. Interestingly, this feeling of loneliness is experienced by both men and women, and it has two aspects: one is loneliness related to love, and the other is loneliness related to people.

There is a loneliness that comes with being an adult. Of course, among that, the connection of love is a characteristic that many people possess, and it is something that a lot of people instinctively desire. That's why articles have emerged stating that running crews are rising as an alternative to dating apps in the United States. Interest in love is very high, just like it has always been. In gatherings, most people are in relationships, but I discovered a more interesting characteristic: attractive men and women in these gatherings often do not engage in dating. It's true that the more attractive someone is, the higher the likelihood of them dating, but the fact that they choose not to date is quite a unique trait. I came up with an interesting hypothesis: perhaps it's because they believe that the perfect person they desire does not exist. As I mentioned in a previous video, social media has caused our standards to rise significantly, leading us to seek out this perfection.

Because there is no ideal partner, people tend to engage in what can be called a shared relationship style. What does this mean? With an ideal partner, one feels physical attraction, which is primarily visual. However, with a non-ideal partner, one feels a mental attraction. When there is no ideal partner who possesses both qualities, there is no need to engage in a traditional relationship. Instead, one enjoys popularity and the dopamine rush from the emergence of new potential partners. Since one has high appeal, various potential partners will show interest. This dopamine cannot be easily relinquished. Therefore, there is no need to be tied to someone unless they are a perfect match. In my opinion, this relates to the second aspect of loneliness, which we discussed earlier regarding loneliness in relation to humanity. Humans instinctively place great importance on being connected to the world, and this is a significant aspect of our nature.

Symbolic activities like running and climbing are very well aligned with social media, particularly Instagram. Climbing has the perfect conditions for this; when someone attempts a climb, everyone watches, supports, and films the effort. Afterward, it's an ideal opportunity for uploading to social media. This is likely why climbing groups are rapidly increasing in number. 

Next, there's an article about the inconvenience caused by running crews. It mentions how they push people aside and block paths. The key issue is the need for certification shots. Many running crews are creating inconveniences in pursuit of these photos. As you know, they block paths to take these certification shots. This leads to a loss of rationality in their connection to the world because that connection is instinctively tied to their emotions.

It's easy to lose one's rationality. To summarize, the increase in this type of social gathering culture seems to be related to the rising number of individuals moving to Seoul, a thirst for love, and a longing for connection with people, which is amplified by social media. I've thought about this and, as you all know, I enjoy delving into phenomena from a humanities perspective, so I wanted to propose this hypothesis and share my thoughts. Therefore, there's no need to take this too seriously; it would be great if you could view this as an interesting perspective. If you enjoyed today's video, please like and subscribe. Thank you so much for watching!

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