Though social distancing has become the status quo amid the COVID-19 crisis, people are trying to stay connected with others via various online platforms.

As people are ordered or advised to stay home, the sense of isolation has led to the coining of such expressions as “corona blues,” referring to constant anxiety stemming from the fear of the highly contagious virus and depression from prolonged isolation.

Looking for a way to feel connected, people are increasingly turning to online challenges that give participants a sense of camaraderie.

The hashtag “#StayAtHomeChallenge” has been shared across the globe. In South Korea, it started with simple recipe challenges. 

In recent weeks, “dalgona coffee” was one of the most trending phrases online. To make it, it is said, one has to mix instant coffee with sugar and hot water and stir it some 400 times with a spoon to achieve the desired taste.

As of Friday afternoon, 97,700 posts with the hashtag “dalgona coffee” in Korean had appeared on Instagram. In English, there were 32,100 posts. The dalgona coffee trend was accompanied by a trend for a special kind of pancakes for which the batter requires stirring 1,000 times. 

A similar challenge, dubbed the “coronavirus lemon challenge,” is trending on TikTok and YouTube.

Participants eat fresh lemon with their bare hands, stressing the importance of hand-washing and vitamin C. Each person designates three people to take part in the challenge or donate 190,000 won to help fight the coronavirus.

Long-term challenges with a specific goal are also gaining traction.

As most fitness centers have shut down in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus, many have turned to exercising at home. But training at home alone can be lonely, spurring people to participate in collective exercise challenges.

Shin Ji-soo, an office worker in her late 20s, recently joined a 100-day meditation challenge. Shin had regularly practiced yoga, but could not continue with offline classes after the COVID-19 outbreak started.

Though Shin first tried to maintain her routine at home using YouTube videos, it was not easy to stay committed. Eventually, she turned to online groups.

“After participating in a meditation class twice a week through Instagram or YouTube live, I leave a comment on the challenge webpage. If I get through the 100-day challenge, there is a small gift,” Shin told The Korea Herald.

“It is much easier to establish a routine compared to when doing it alone. There are others who share the same goal. That is a really big factor in generating motivation,” she added. 

On a different note, the Suwon Museum of Art is hosting “The Drawing Draw,” to encourage people to set their imaginations free and communicate with each other. The museum closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Using a drawing kit provided by the museum, the participants draw using keywords suggested by the museum. The keywords range from “souvenir” and “beauty product” to “secret location,” “blue” and “meals for one.”

The participants can post their finished works on social media with the hashtag “#suwon.2020,” sharing their art with others. Drawing kits can be collected at the museum after making reservations by phone. For groups of 15 or more, the museum will send the kits via mail. The drawing competition, which started last Tuesday, continues through June 12.

“Through this project, people can become artists, create and enjoy artworks. They can find the joy of drawing and the true meaning of art,” said Kim Chan-dong, the head of the Suwon Museum of Art.

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)