More from February 2025's issue: 
Valentine's Day in Korea
Korean Terms Related to Dating, the Happy and the Sad!
 

Have you ever felt extremely lonely just walking the streets of Korea and realizing all you could see were couples? Well, you’re not alone!

The societal pressure to date in Korea continues to stay at a constant high.

If Koreans have a single friend, they will most likely try to set up a 소개팅 (lit. translation – meeting by introduction), or a blind date, with someone they heard was also single.

Then, if the two introduced like each other, they hope for an 애프터 (from the English word “after”) – a second date held in more informal settings. 

If the setup is successful, the matchmaker will most likely get treated to a dinner or even receive a good outfit to attend the couple's wedding.

But, to reach the stage of the wedding, Koreans will think a lot and weigh all the pros and cons. Why is that, and what do they think so deeply about?

Every year, a popular Korean marriage matchmaking service 1듀오 conducts a statistical research on marriage requirements among people between 25 and 44 years old residing in Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi-do.
Here is what 2024’s research says about an ideal Korean husband and an ideal Korean wife: 

What do you think about the Korean approach to marriage? Do you find it reasonable or far-fetched? How about the requirements for marriage where you're from? Let us know at [email protected] .

People may also meet in school or at work whilst not intending to start a relationship – and many wind up in a 썸 (from the English word “something”) – a so-called situationship or just a stage elevated over friendship but not yet clearly stated as romantic. For many, 썸 serves as a bridge into dating, but some end up as part of another's fish tank... Can't understand what we mean? Check the rest of Funday's February magazine!