Gen Z in South Korea are increasingly turning to so-called “dopamine sites” that simulate real experiences and help them feel less alone.
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These range from fake delivery apps that let users fill a cart and simulate an order that is never actually placed to virtual “smoke break rooms” where people interact with strangers and watch a timer count down.
Highlights
- Dopamine sites that simulate transactions and social interaction are becoming increasingly popular among South Korean youth.
- Examples include fake food delivery apps and virtual break rooms where people pretend to be at the office together.
- Dr. Pamela Rutledge analyzed this trend and explained why it's a double-edged sword for users.
To understand whether these platforms are taking a mental health toll on their users, Bored Panda spoke with Dr. Pamela Rutledge, an expert in the psychological impact of media and technology.
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To illustrate the trend, The Korea Times cites the experience of a 25-year-old office worker named Kim, who, at two in the morning, browses a fake food delivery app without spending any money.
The platform, whose name is a spoof of a popular food delivery company, is designed to look like a real food delivery app, allowing users to read reviews, choose menu items, and add them to a cart.
The only difference is that the order is never placed. Still, this doesn’t matter to users, who say the app helps them resist late-night cravings.
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“It somehow feels like I actually ordered something,” Kim said, adding that the app benefits both his well-being and his budget.
“There are many times when I crave food late at night but hold back to save money. It feels like a real delivery app, so I somehow keep looking at it.”
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Kim said using the app “relieves a little stress” from his workday. Despite placing no actual order, fake delivery apps allow him to “zone out for a moment.”
“The site doesn’t allow orders anyway, so I can keep browsing without pressure,” the Gen Zer explained. “It feels like looking at food photos online. As I browse, my mood somehow gets a little better.”
Image credits: The Korea Times
Similarly, another site simulates a smoke break room at work. It features a "Start" button and a real-time display of who else is online, allowing users to chat with one another and experience the atmosphere of taking a break together, per The Korea Times.
Anonymous users leave messages such as “I’m getting through another day” and “I want to go home.”
Like the fake delivery app, this site simulates a real-world activity that gives users pleasure. And just like the app, users don’t have to complete any transaction or step outside their homes.
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Lee, a 24-year-old college student, visits the site to relieve stress during exam periods or when he struggles to focus while working on assignments.
“I’m not actually sm*king, but it feels like I’m taking a break with someone, so it’s strangely comforting,” he explained.
The site makes him feel less alone, allowing him to share a virtual space with others who find themselves in similar situations.
Image credits: The Korea Times
“When I go on the site while studying alone, it feels like other people are struggling, too, so I somehow feel less lonely," Lee said.
While many of these platforms may be new, people have long turned to digital and mental spaces for comfort.
Dr. Rutledge compared the “dopamine sites” to simulation games and even activities like daydreaming or reading a novel.
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“The human brain responds to anticipation, imagination, and mental simulation, not just outcomes,” the psychologist said.
“The reward center triggers from the anticipation of pleasurable activities, such as shopping, eating, traveling, or socializing, rather than the experience itself.
“Browsing a simulated food delivery app engages many of the psychological processes involved in real activities, such as imagining tastes, comparing options, planning uses, and experiencing a sense of possibility and control even without a transaction.”
Image credits: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels (not an actual photo)
These activities may be particularly appealing during periods of stress or uncertainty, Dr. Rutledge explained, noting that they provide a low-risk environment where people can explore desires and experience temporary escape from their stressful routines.
As with most technological tools, the risks of “dopamine sites” depend more on how people use them than on the design of the apps themselves.
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If users replace real-life activities, such as socializing, with the apps, or if they become frustrated by browsing items they cannot afford, the benefits quickly vanish.
“A virtual experience can add positively to real life through entertainment, stress relief, or imaginative play.
“The risk is if it replaces meaningful real-world activities, relationships, or responsibilities or if simulated purchases increase a sense of deprivation or negative social comparison.
"It’s fun shopping for the perfect Rolex, but not fun if you feel frustrated, angry, or deprived that you can’t have it.”
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The author of Exploring Positive Psychology stressed that these experiences aren’t inherently harmful or beneficial. Whether they have a positive or negative impact depends on the individual, the context, and the role the activity plays in their life.
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“The questions to ask yourself are: How does the experience make me feel? Am I restored, entertained, or energized vs angry or deprived?
“Why am I doing this? It is for entertainment or coping vs avoiding something or in place of something?
“Media has always allowed people to experience emotions, social connection, and meaning symbolically. Digital platforms just give us interactive and immersive ways to do it.”