Market in Apps for Singles Booming

Smartphone apps for Korea's growing singles market are mushrooming, offering anything from home delivery to movers, security and parking services.

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Home security provider S1 operates an app that allows people to tell guards where they are and give estimated arrival time and even make emergency calls.

Another app offers a phone number drivers can place in their windshield in case their car has to be moved out of the way, which is automatically rerouted to their phone. Most customers are single women who do not want to display their real number to strangers.

Online marketplace Auction last month began offering moving services for singles. Staff come to pack and move customers' belongings to a new home. Auction sends their ID photos and other details ahead of time.

Other apps offer home cleaning services, with one service already attracting around 1,400 customers after launching last November.

Food delivery apps are also evolving quickly to cater to singles. A staffer at a food delivery app Woowa Brothers said, customers using food delivery services in the small hours are usually singles or university students.

The number of single households surpassed 500,000 last year and is expected to account for 31.3 percent of total households by 2025.

Market watchers expect apps to expand to dog walking and laundry.

"Apps targeting singles are a global trend", said Kim Eun-young at the Korea International Trade Association. "It's going to create big new markets".