By Winston Xu & Cirl Lee
In Asia, hobbies are very similar to those in the U.S., with some surveys showing populations spending the same average amount of time on these activities. Some differences include the addition of karaoke, tai-chi, or a focus on different sports, such as ping-pong, badminton or cricket. However, in some of the more traditional families, there is a negative association with “leisure” activities. In addition, activities are viewed differently by countries. One example is that studying or learning seems to pop up regularly under activities to be done for fun in one’s spare time. The idea is that even during free time, one can still find some way of being productive/improving one’s self.
One aspect of leisure time that differs slightly in East Asian countries is the nightlife. Like in America, young people tend to go out at night for drinks instead of having home parties or house parties. However, there are also other activities. In China and Japan, karaoke is a popular group activity in addition to night markets, which are open air stalls and trucks mostly selling food.
One of the larger differences is Personal Computer cafes in countries like Korea, Japan, and China. Aimed at a younger generation, PC cafes can be seen as a sort of escape from reality. Ranging from a room in a basement to a building reminiscent of a Starbucks, PC cafes range in price and quality of Internet. Some offer additional services such as printing, copying, food/drink, and even places to sleep. Despite the general utility available, PC cafes are used almost exclusively by males under 30 to hang out and play games. However, especially in Taiwan and Japan, there are members of the older generations using this space for leisure as well.
Asian people tend to focus less on playing sports compared to the Western culture. However, they do love to watch sports during their leisure time: soccer, baseball, basketball, and cricket. Japan and China enjoy playing and watching baseball. Korea loves to play soccer and watch baseball. India loves to play and watch cricket. Many countries have their favourite sports and their own sports market.
In short: pretty much what one would expect. Hang out with friends, play sports, and keep up with popular culture.
