Short-form content addiction

[Anchor]

‘Short form’ videos which deliver key information or entertainment in about a minute have already become a major trend on social media.

South Korea is no exception. A recent survey found that the average Korean spends about seven times more time on short-form content than on OTT platforms.

As a result, businesses are increasingly using short-form content as a marketing tool.

However, the negative effects of short form are also becoming more apparent.

Experts warn that repeated exposure to highly stimulating short videos can lead to feelings of helplessness or depression in everyday life.

So, is there a way to break free from this?

Reporter Kim Min-cheol investigates.

[Report]

["Are there any difficulties? (You just keep watching it regardless of the time.)"]

This is a facility dedicated to helping teenagers who are excessively dependent on smartphones and the internet.

Recently, many of them have been seeking counseling for addiction to short-form videos.

[Jeong○○/3rd year middle school student/Voice altered: “I watched TikTok for more than 8 hours. There are so many different things that come up, so I just keep watching.”]

[Lee○○/3rd year middle school student/Voice altered: “I intended to watch just a little and go to bed. I ended up watching until 7 AM and either slept at school or didn’t go to school at all…”]

The problem is that this phenomenon is observed across all age groups, including infants, teenagers, adults, and the elderly.

This indicates a high level of addictiveness.

[Shim Yong-chul/Director of Planning and Operations, National Center for Youth Internet Addiction Treatment: “Because they show very stimulating content in a short amount of time, it becomes difficult to distinguish from the real world, and the boundaries become blurred…”]

Large platform companies that are aware of this are rushing into the short form business for profit.

While we cannot completely stop corporate activities, user self-restraint must come first.

Experts recommend gradually reducing usage time rather than quitting all at once.

[Jeon Sang-won/Professor of Psychiatry, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital: “You can set a specific time, and it is most effective when there are people around you who can help limit the usage time.”]

Additionally, they advise not to blame oneself for failures and to seek professional help to try again.

This is KBS News, Kim Min-cheol.