Koreans spend over 29 years of their lives online, survey finds

Koreans spend more than 29 years of their lives on the internet, according to a new survey — more than one-third of the average life expectancy, consumed by online videos, social media and AI chatbots.

Global cybersecurity firm NordVPN released the findings Tuesday, based on an analysis of South Koreans' online habits and personal data-sharing behavior.

The survey found that Koreans spend an average of 29 years, two months and two days online over their lifetimes. Based on an average life expectancy of 85 years, it is no exaggeration to say they spend more than one-third of their lives on the internet.

Koreans average 57 hours of internet use per week, typically starting at 9 a.m. and continuing until 10 p.m. Some 42 percent of respondents said they could not imagine going a full day without using the internet.

Most of that time online goes toward consuming content. Koreans spend an average of 8 hours and 26 minutes per week watching online videos, and 6 hours and 20 minutes binge-watching drama series and films. Music listening accounts for 3 hours and 45 minutes weekly, while social media use comes in at 3 hours and 7 minutes. Some 33 percent of respondents said they regularly check social media while watching video content, a behavior known as "second screening."

AI chatbots are also becoming a routine part of online life. Koreans spend an average of 1 hour and 41 minutes per week conversing with AI chatbots. Some 32 percent of respondents said AI had improved their online experience, though only 27 percent viewed it as an essential part of daily life.

The survey also revealed a relatively open attitude toward sharing personal information. Some 66 percent of respondents said they had provided their real name to online platforms, 67 percent their date of birth, and 50 percent their home address. By contrast, only 2 percent said they had entered confidential work documents into an AI tool — suggesting a notable gap in how cautiously people guard personal versus professional data.

NordVPN said that as time spent online and using AI continues to grow, users should strengthen their data protection habits accordingly. The company recommended regularly checking for data breaches and identity theft, verifying the source of suspicious links, emails and messages, and avoiding entering sensitive personal or financial information into AI tools or online platforms.

"In an era where people spend more than 29 years of their lives online, protecting personal data is no longer something that can be solved with a strong password alone," said Marius Briedis, chief technology officer at NordVPN. "As AI rapidly becomes embedded in everyday life and online activity continues to grow, users need to understand how their data is being collected and used — and take a more careful look at every interaction they have in the digital environment."

Meanwhile, a 2021 survey found that Koreans averaged 51 hours of internet use per week, with 18 hours devoted to work-related activities and 33 hours to other online activities such as watching videos and using social media.