To create a pleasant living environment in both urban and rural areas, it is necessary to expand 3 or gardens. As a result, a sustainable city will bring about the expansion of urban fields, specifically the expansion of grasslands as pastures or meadows, which differs from the expansion of gardens or parks typically pursued by traditional cities. Considering the two aspects mentioned above, it is necessary to promote the expansion of lawn use in both urban and rural areas in South Korea. However, although South Korea has made remarkable progress in terms of both quantity and quality in terms of lawn area, it remains insufficient compared to more advanced countries such as USA, UK and Australia. Moreover, the construction of lawns is still inadequate, and the utilization efficiency of the lawn spaces that have already been created is also low. Recently, the lawn area has been increased through the creation and regeneration of public gardens and parks. On the other hand, the expansion of lawn areas is also expected through the urban regeneration of closed schools, factories, and railways. In this context, both central and local governments need to develop and implement relevant plans. However, although the expansion of lawn use is important and necessary as mentioned above, urban development and regeneration should also secure public support by understanding and aligning with public awareness and values, such as those related to local tourism development (Abdollahzadeh and Sharifzadeh, 2014; Andereck et al., 2005; Gursoy et al., 2002; McGehee and Andereck, 2004). Social science research is needed to encourage greater use of lawn spaces and promote their expansion. This study was conducted to analyze public perceptions of the expansion of lawn use across different generations, with the aim of promoting greater lawn use.

The frequency of places where respondents experienced lawns was compared across generations (Table 3). A chi-squared test of independence was conducted to assess the relationship between the places where respondents experienced lawns (i.e., the types of lawns visited) and their generational groups. The results showed a Pearson’s chi-squared value of 48.760 and a p-value of .017, indicating that the frequency of places where respondents experienced lawns differed between generations at the .05 level of significance. Generation Z showed a relatively high frequency of exposure to grass playgrounds, at 13.5%. Before and after the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, numerous grass playgrounds were built, replacing bare ground or artificial turf. Since Generation Z is relatively young and economically inactive, they may have had more opportunities to experience these grass playgrounds compared to other green spaces. Generation X and Baby Boomers showed a high frequency of exposure to golf courses, at 9.4% and 10.5%, respectively. It seems that these generations, who have economic means along with the rise in popularity of golf, have had more opportunities to experience lawns on golf courses (Benfield, 2021; Kim and Koo, 2017). Baby Boomers had a lower frequency of experience with grassy campgrounds, but a higher frequency of encountering cultural heritage sites with grassy areas. This suggests that their leisure activities are more focused on tourism rather than active camping. Consequently, it appears that the generational differences in the types of places where they experienced lawns reflect the different lifestyles of the generations (Kim and Huh, 2007). Parks exhibited the highest frequency of experience across all generations, indicating that parks are the primary places where people encounter lawns. In contrast, terraces and other places showed a lower frequency across all generations, suggesting that lawns have not been widely incorporated into various living spaces in South Korea.

Amount of time spent on lawns visited was compared across generations (Table 3). A chi-squared test of independence found a Pearson chi-square value of 36.926 and a p-value of .000, indicating that the amount of time spent on lawns varied between generations at the .05 significance level. Generation Z was found to spend very little time on lawns, with 52.4% spending less than 30 minutes. 60.2% of Baby Boomers spent between 30 minutes and 2 hours on lawns. Generations Y and X, on the other hand, spent 2 hours or more, with 15.6% and 17.2%, respectively, which is relatively higher than other generations. Lawns have the properties or image of nature in both urban and rural areas (Anderson et al., 2019; Kang et al., 2017; Mougeot, 2005), and Generation Z may be seen as having less familiarity with outdoor activities in nature compared to other generations (Min et al., 2022).

The frequency of preferred activities on lawns was compared across generations (Table 3). A chi-squared test of independence yielded a Pearson’s chi-square value of 11.237 and a p-value of .260, suggesting no difference in preferred activities between generational groups at the .05 significance level. Resting on lawns was the most common activity across all generations. In South Korea, many lawns have been created with restrictions that limit opportunities for physical exercise, and the availability of lawns for exercise purposes is inadequate. It seems that this situation has affected people’s habitual behavior on lawns. Generation Z spent the least amount of time on lawns, yet engaged in exercise relatively often. This suggests a tendency for Gen Z to exhibit a gap between preference and actual participation (Benfield, 2021). Baby Boomers, on the other hand, had the highest frequency of nature experiences, indicating a stronger tendency to perceive lawns as a part of nature.

Perceptions of the need for lawn P/I in major spaces were compared across generations (Table 4). No statistically significant differences were found among the generations regarding the need for lawn P/I on bare ground (x4) after tree planting in park development. Perceptions of the need for lawn P/I on school playgrounds and children’s playgrounds (x5) were statistically significantly lower among Generations Z and Y compared to Baby Boomers. For park golf courses and senior playgrounds (x6), Generation Z’s perceptions were statistically significantly lower than those of Baby Boomers. For artificial surfaces, such as rooftops and parking lots in urban areas (x7), perceptions among Generations Z and Y were statistically significantly lower than those of Generation X and Baby Boomers. For pet parks (x8), a statistically significant difference was found between Generations Z and Y. Min and Park (2023) reported that Generations Z and Y exhibit similar tendencies; however, there are limitations to treating them as the same generation in terms of experience and perception. Generation Z placed the highest value on pet parks. No statistically significant differences were found across generations regarding idle land and reserved land (x9). In places such as parks, idle land, and reserved land, lawns are generally viewed as part of the landscape or nature (Koo, 2003); the need for lawn P/I did not show generational differences. On the other hand, in places where lawns play an active or functional role, generational differences were observed in the need for lawn P/I. Generations Z and Y had a lower perception of the need compared to Baby Boomers and Generation X, with Generation Z showing the lowest perception in particular. Perceptions of the need to expand the use of lawns for eco-friendly living environment management (x10) also yielded consistent results. Generations Z and Y, referred to as “digital natives,” spend a lot of time indoors (Lee et al., 2020; Min et al., 2022), which may reduce their connection to nature. While Generation Z values safety, convenience, transportation, and the economic environment in digital living spaces (Lee et al., 2020; Rim and Park, 2024), they do not seem to prioritize contact with nature. Although Generations Z and Y share similar tendencies, it is difficult to consider their perceptions as identical (Min and Park, 2023).

A stepwise multiple regression analysis was conducted with the perception of the need to expand lawn uses (x10) as the dependent variable and the perception of the need for lawn P/I in major spaces as the independent variable (Table 5). For Generation Z, the perception of the need for lawn P/I on artificial surfaces such as rooftops and parking lots (x7) was identified as the most significant predictor, followed by the perception of the need for lawn P/I on idle land and reserved land (x9) and pet parks (x8). For Generation Y, the perception of the need for lawn P/I on idle and reserved land (x9) emerged as the most significant predictor, followed by the perception of the need for lawns on bare ground following tree planting in parks (x4), and on school and children’s playgrounds (x5). For Generation X, the perception of the need for lawn P/I on idle and reserved land (x9) emerged as the most significant predictor, followed by the perception of the need for lawns on park golf courses and senior playgrounds (x6), on bare ground after tree planting in parks (x4), and in pet parks (x8). For Baby Boomers, the perception of the need for lawn P/I on bare ground after tree planting in parks (x4) was identified as the most significant predictor, followed by the perception of the need for lawns on artificial surfaces such as rooftops and parking lots (x7), on idle and reserved land (x9), and on park golf courses and senior playgrounds (x6). The significant predictor common to all generations was the perception of the need for lawn P/I on idle and reserved land (x9). Unlike other generations, Generation Z did not include the perception of the need for lawn P/I on bare ground after tree planting in parks (x4) as a significant predictor. Instead, they included the perception of the need for lawns on pet parks (x8). In contrast to other generations, Generation Y showed the perception of the need for lawn P/I on schools and children’s playgrounds (x5) as a significant predictor. Unlike Generations Z and Y, both Generation X and Baby Boomers showed the perception of the need for lawn P/I on park golf courses and senior playgrounds (x6) as a significant predictor. These results first suggest that the perception of the need for lawn P/I in major spaces affected the perception of the need for expanding lawn uses, and that this effect varied across generations. In other words, there were generational differences in perceptions of the need for lawn P/I in major spaces, which affected the perception of the need for expanded lawn use. Generation Z was the most urban and showed a strong affinity for pets, while Generation Y appeared to focus on outdoor activities in relation to their children. Generation X, known for its consumption-oriented and individualistic tendencies (Kim and Koo, 2017), can be considered as the parent generation of Generation Z. In this context, Generation X seemed to prioritize personal leisure and recreational activities, while Baby Boomers appeared to focus more on outdoor recreational activities (Koo, 2003).

Generational differences in perceptions of the need for policies and research to promote lawn use were analyzed (Table 6). Compared to Baby Boomers, Generation Z had statistically, significantly lower perceptions of the need for policies to expand green spaces with lawns (x11) and the need for research led by national agencies (x12). This indicates that Generation Z may have less trust or dependence on the performance of the government agencies or public institutions. Kim (2022) suggested that perceptions of recreation have a significant impact on recreation policies. Since experiences affect perceptions and attitudes (Park et al., 2022), positive experiences are likely to foster positive attitudes toward policies. Therefore, increasing positive perceptions by offering diverse lawn experiences will encourage positive perceptions of the need for related policies and research. Promoting policies can help increase trust in both the government and its policies (Kim and Choi, 2019). For Generations Z and Y, who have relatively low perceptions of the need for policies and research to expand lawn use, promoting such policies and research will be necessary. In this regard, Moon and Yoo (2022) found that the more individuals actively seek information about government policies and express opinions about government policies through social media, the more trust they have in the government. However, uniquely, they observed that the more the government actively communicates policy-related opinions via social media, the less trust Generations Z and Y have in these messages.

There was no statistically significant difference in the perception between generations of the need for policies to revitalize the lawn industry (x13). All generations appear to recognize the necessity of economic revitalization in response to the prolonged economic recession. On the other hand, Generation Z had the lowest perception of the need for job-related projects, policies, and job training, showing a statistically significant difference compared to Baby Boomers. Despite experiencing economic hardships due to the recession and high youth unemployment rates (Kim, 2022), Generation Z’s interest in and expectations for jobs in the lawn industry appear to be low. Lawn care is a very important part of the lawn industry, yet Generation Z appears to have limited understanding of the various jobs associated with it. Baby Boomers, on the other hand, demonstrated the highest perception of the need for lawn care jobs and training programs. Compared to other advanced countries where all age groups are involved in lawn care jobs, South Koreans tend to perceive it as mainly involving older people.

Expanding the use of lawns is necessary not only for creating pleasant living spaces but also for improving the environment and mitigating climate change. To effectively promote expanded lawn use or adoption in both urban and rural areas of South Korea, it is crucial to understand and address the public’s perceptions and values regarding related policies, research, planning, and implementation. This study aims to analyze people’s perceptions of expanded lawn use by generation in order to promote its wider use/adoption.

There were generational differences in the places where lawns were experienced and the amount of time spent on them, but no significant differences were found in preferred activities on lawns by generation. Generations Z and Y generally had a lower perception of the need for lawn planting or installation (lawn P/I) in major spaces compared to Generation X and Baby Boomers, with Generation Z in particular showing the lowest perception. There were no significant generational differences in perceptions of the need for lawn P/I in areas recognized as landscapes or natural spaces, such as parks, idle land, and reserved areas. However, generational differences emerged regarding the need for lawns in spaces where they serve an active or functional role. Generations Z and Y showed a lower appreciation for the function or value of lawns as a natural resource. Overall, the perceptions of Generations Z and Y were similar, but they should not be regarded as identical. Consequently, it seemed that lawn use experiences and preferences, as well as perceptions of the need for lawns, should be examined by generation. A regression analysis revealed generational differences in perceptions of the need for lawn P/I in major locations, which affected the perception of the need for expanded lawn use. Generation Z was the most urbanized and had the highest level of affinity for pets. Generation Y appeared to associate outdoor activities with their children. Generation X seemed to focus on personal leisure and recreational activities, while Baby Boomers tended to prioritize outdoor recreational activities.

Perceptions of the need for policy and research related to expanded lawn use were lower among Generation Z than among Baby Boomers. This suggests that Generation Z may have less trust in or reliance on the performance of government agencies or public institutions. Therefore, it will be necessary to promote policies and research on expanded lawn use to Generations Z and Y. There were no statistically significant generational differences in perceptions of the need for policies to activate the lawn industry. However, Generation Z had low interest or expectations regarding jobs in the lawn industry. It seems that Generation Z has a limited understanding of the various careers related to lawn care. Baby Boomers perceived the greatest need for jobs and training programs related to the lawn industry. Compared to other advanced countries, where people of all age groups participate in lawn care, there seems to be a tendency to perceive that in South Korea, such jobs are mainly taken up by the elderly.

Finally, in the next studies, it is necessary to make specific and effective policies and implements for each generation, including Generation Z based on their perceptions. Also, the design is required for the creation of specific lawns that could appeal to Generation Z and Y. Future research will require practical studies to solve the aforementioned limitations.