In South Korea, a quiet lifestyle trend is growing: phone-free hours. Instead of quitting smartphones completely, people intentionally set aside one or two hours a day with no scrolling, messaging, or notifications. Cafés promote “no-phone tables,” couples agree to phone-free dinners, and parents model this habit at home.
Many young Koreans say this small boundary helps reduce anxiety and improves focus without feeling extreme. Unlike digital detox retreats, phone-free hours feel realistic and sustainable. It’s less about rejecting technology and more about choosing when not to use it—an approach that fits modern Korean life.
“I keep my phone in another room from 8–9 p.m., and my evenings feel much calmer.”
Vocabulary
- 휴대폰 (hyudaepon) – mobile phone
- 사용하다 (sayonghada) – to use
- 집중 (jipjung) – concentration
- 습관 (seupgwan) – habit
- 청소년 (cheongsonyeon) – youth
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