Koreans seek out 'fresh air' experiences amid recent fine dust pollution
- 5 years ago
미세먼지로 인해 달라진 생활…'더' 맑은 공기의 실내를 찾는 사람들
Fine dust levels in the nation finally went down low enough for people to be out and about without masks... at least for now.
But a week-long stretch of poor air quality changed how people spend their leisure time.
According to our Ko Roon-hee, staying indoors, taking refuge in places where they can get extra fresh air... is the preferred option.
Many people are now staying indoors when the air quality is bad in Korea... and the latest data shows... that many of them are hitting up multiplexes and cinemas.
BC Card,... a Korean credit card company,... says revenues at these business soared around 30 percent on days with 'poor' or 'very poor' levels of fine dust compared to normal days... according to data compiled between 2017 and 2019.
Some cinemas have even installed new features that provide visitors with 'extra' fresh air.
This movie theater in Seoul makes you feel like you are in a forest... with an oxygen generator system and machines spraying fresh scents.
Visitors are willing to pay more for this unique experience.
"There have been high levels of fine dust recently. And I came to this particular movie theater because I can breathe fresh air while watching a movie."
Another place that's garnered attention is a cafe in Seoul... surrounded by 20 or so air purifiers.
Wherever you sit, you are right next to an air purifier... which displays the levels of fine dust in and outside the cafe.
This cafe saw their revenues increase around 30 percent over the past week... compared to their usual sales.
"People who want fresh air provided by something other than an air purifier.... can take a trip to a botanical garden.
Inside this greenhouse, people can breathe easier all while enjoying plants from around the world."
This garden features around 3-thousand types of plants... and many are air cleaning plants.
"I feel like the air quality has finally improved today. I came here because I think the air in botanical gardens is cleaner than in other indoor areas."
"Many people are staying away from outdoor activities these days. Because they enjoy the freshness here, around 15,000 people visit every day on average."
The fine dust problem in Korea is changing the way people spend their time and money... and it appears that environmentally-friendly experiences will continue to grow in popularity.
Ko Roon-hee, Arirang News.
Fine dust levels in the nation finally went down low enough for people to be out and about without masks... at least for now.
But a week-long stretch of poor air quality changed how people spend their leisure time.
According to our Ko Roon-hee, staying indoors, taking refuge in places where they can get extra fresh air... is the preferred option.
Many people are now staying indoors when the air quality is bad in Korea... and the latest data shows... that many of them are hitting up multiplexes and cinemas.
BC Card,... a Korean credit card company,... says revenues at these business soared around 30 percent on days with 'poor' or 'very poor' levels of fine dust compared to normal days... according to data compiled between 2017 and 2019.
Some cinemas have even installed new features that provide visitors with 'extra' fresh air.
This movie theater in Seoul makes you feel like you are in a forest... with an oxygen generator system and machines spraying fresh scents.
Visitors are willing to pay more for this unique experience.
"There have been high levels of fine dust recently. And I came to this particular movie theater because I can breathe fresh air while watching a movie."
Another place that's garnered attention is a cafe in Seoul... surrounded by 20 or so air purifiers.
Wherever you sit, you are right next to an air purifier... which displays the levels of fine dust in and outside the cafe.
This cafe saw their revenues increase around 30 percent over the past week... compared to their usual sales.
"People who want fresh air provided by something other than an air purifier.... can take a trip to a botanical garden.
Inside this greenhouse, people can breathe easier all while enjoying plants from around the world."
This garden features around 3-thousand types of plants... and many are air cleaning plants.
"I feel like the air quality has finally improved today. I came here because I think the air in botanical gardens is cleaner than in other indoor areas."
"Many people are staying away from outdoor activities these days. Because they enjoy the freshness here, around 15,000 people visit every day on average."
The fine dust problem in Korea is changing the way people spend their time and money... and it appears that environmentally-friendly experiences will continue to grow in popularity.
Ko Roon-hee, Arirang News.