Sarah Wei is a journalist and producer based in Melbourne and Hong Kong, with a focus on the travel, lifestyle, and arts and culture sectors. She has produced over 35 talks and workshops with 120 speakers, three large-scale 5-day events, over 20 community events,  one VR/AR exhibition, and more than 150 published features and stories across the region.

Speed and convenience have become the consumer norm. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, when people worldwide were introduced to instant access to goods and services via apps and digital platforms, the supply and demand considerably grew and splintered. The 'I need it now' culture shows no signs of slowing down, yet the complexity around it is becoming more apparent.

Hyper-fast digital services appeal because they fulfil a ballooning desire for instant gratification – contemporary convenience hinges on easy-to-use interfaces that help consumers seamlessly meet their needs. However, the mechanics of consumerism are complex. People are becoming aware of global supply chains, especially in the wake of wars and escalating global conflict. As many brands are cracking down on immediacy (introducing higher delivery fees or offering it as a premium), people are turning to local and smaller-scale shopping for more mindful, slower, grounded spending.

The cost of living crisis makes people reconsider which of their needs are truly immediate, but it's not the only reason some crave a slowdown. The hyper-fast society enables our desires to be fulfilled instantly but might be too fast for our mental health. While convenience used to be a cool thing to have, now it has become essential to function in the current attention economy. People are tormented by a lack of patience and chronic dependency on stimulation from platforms like TikTok – yet the rewards of convenience easily outweigh the concerns.

Compulsive Convenience

Today, audiences are shaping the cultural agenda. Empowered to speak up for the causes they believe in, people are actively calling out brands they see as inauthentic. What are the main drivers of this behavioural shift? And how can brands win the trust of these outspoken advocates?

Assertive Audiences

Jacob Cooke is the co-founder and CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies, a leading e-commerce and technology consultancy that drives growth for global brands in China, South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia. As CEO, Jacob is the driving force behind WPIC’s world-class data tools, e-commerce services, and artificial intelligence technology. Under his leadership, the firm has built out an expansive solution set covering data analytics, e-commerce activations and store management, brand strategy, creative campaigns, merchandising, warehousing, 3PL integrations, and more. Jacob has lived in Beijing since 2003.

South Korea

Republic of Korea

Personal transport

M2050

Statista

The Korea Economic Daily

The Korea Times

Interview with Jacob Cooke conducted by the author

The Korea Herald

The Manila Times

Fortune Business Insights

Ipsos

CSA Research

KPMG

TechCrunch

Kakao Mobility is the dominant force in South Korea's ride-hailing market, achieving a nearly 90% share. With the introduction of features such as robot delivery and a tourist-friendly app, it’s harnessing tech to maximise convenience – setting a new standard for transport apps in the process.

Cultivate

Life Efficiency

How Kakao streamlines mobility for hustling Koreans