Koreans more likely to eat alone than anyone else in G20: report

The World Happiness Report 2025, published Thursday by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, found that South Koreans ate together in the evenings an average of 1.6 days per week between 2022 and 2023.

Among the 142 countries surveyed, Korea ranked 135th. It had the lowest rate among G20 nations, along with Japan, where people shared meals 1.8 days per week.

In contrast, South Africa (5 days), Australia (4.9), Mexico and Canada (4.8), Argentina (4.7) and Brazil and Italy (4.6) had the highest rates of eating together.

Meal-sharing frequency was generally lower among older people in many countries. In East Asian countries including South Korea and Japan, people under 30 shared an average of 6.4 meals per week, but the figure dropped to 4.6 among those over 60.

However, dining alone is also increasing among young people amid the growing trend of single-person households. In the United States, where an in-depth study was conducted, the number of people aged 18-24 dining alone rose by more than 180 per cent between 2003 and 2023.

The report noted that dining alone increased feelings of loneliness. Among those who shared meals more than 12 times per week, only 18 per cent reported feeling lonely the previous day. In contrast, 38 per cent of those who dined alone throughout the week said they felt lonely.

Shin Ji-hye

The Korea Herald

Asia News Network