Psychology Today draws attention to a new internet trend that originated in South Korea and has already interested psychologists. It’s about so-called “dopamine sites” that mimic online shopping, food ordering, or other familiar rituals, but don’t allow them to be completed.
These sites are almost indistinguishable from real online stores or delivery services. On one of the most famous — FoodNeverComes — you can browse menus, read reviews, add dishes to your cart, and even watch a virtual courier supposedly delivering your order on a map. However, it’s impossible to finalize the order.
Some platforms go even further. After a user declines a “purchase,” they are informed how much money or calories they managed to save. This way, the person immediately receives a kind of reward for not buying anything.
There are other variations of similar services. One of them is named after a Korean slang word meaning a smoke break. After pressing the “Start” button, the user sees who else is currently on the site. A feeling of a shared break with other people arises — but without cigarettes. Conversations rarely happen — the main thing is the feeling that you are not alone.
According to The Korea Times, such sites have become especially popular among young residents of South Korea, who face rising living costs and constant pressure from consumer culture. For some, it’s a way to avoid impulsive purchases or late-night food orders; for others, it’s an opportunity to feel less lonely, even if only for a short time.
Why It Works
Psychologists remind us that dopamine is often mistakenly called the “pleasure hormone.” In reality, it is largely associated with the anticipation of reward, motivation, and the expectation of pleasant events.
That’s why the anticipation of a vacation, a long-awaited purchase, or a delicious dinner sometimes brings as much pleasure as the event itself. The brain constantly models possible future scenarios, imagining how a person will feel after achieving a goal. These imaginings can trigger real emotions, even if nothing actually happens.
According to the article’s author, browsing menus without ordering or choosing goods without buying them is another example of how people gain emotional experience through imagination.
People have been using similar mechanisms for a long time. We read novels that transport us to other places, get absorbed in cooking shows, play simulators, and fantasize about the future. All of this allows us to experience emotions without performing the corresponding actions in real life.
When a Virtual Ritual Replaces a Real One
As the article states, online shopping, ordering food, or even taking a smoke break are not just practical actions, but also unique rituals. They create a sense of predictability, control, and allow for a temporary respite from daily stress.
In the virtual space, these rituals can be recreated without real consequences. For example, a shared “smoke break” in an online room can give a person a sense of the presence of others and slightly alleviate loneliness. According to research, the brain is capable of perceiving people in a digital environment as real, which supports empathy and a sense of social connection.
However, experts urge not to consider “dopamine sites” a universal solution. For some people, they can indeed become a safe alternative to impulsive purchases or other unwanted behaviors. But if virtual rituals begin to displace real life or only intensify the feeling that a person cannot afford what they desire, their benefits may be less than they seem.
Whether “dopamine sites” will become as popular outside South Korea is yet unknown. However, as the publication notes, this phenomenon has already shown that a significant part of the pleasure from shopping is not related to the actual ownership of an item, but to the emotions a person experiences during the anticipation and imagination phase. Understanding this mechanism can help us be more conscious about our purchases and how we spend our time and money.
