Korean Job Discussion Forums

[noraebang]

Is this something that happens in Korea or is it extremely uncommon?

I know most people live with their families until they're married, but they ever continue living with them after they're married?

In my case, I have Indian family. My uncle and his wife lived with my grandmother well past when they got married, until their first child was two and they had another on the way. I wonder what Koreans would think of this (because they traditionally had a strong extended family unit).

[crossmr]

Sometimes if there is a financial issue, or housing issue. I haven't met anyone living with parents permanently. Once the first baby is born sometimes the mother in law might move in for awhile if both parents are working to take care of the kid. That depends a lot on the family.

[AsiaESLbound]

Could be possible, but my neighbors are all young couples with small babies and toddlers starting out with a small 1 room studio. A typical teacher apartment like I mention is a young couples 1st home away from home.

[fugitive chicken]

I've been told that traditionly the bride's parents buy a house (apartment) for them when they get married.

It may not always be so, due to the massive amounts of won needed to be put down for an apartment; but I think it's pretty typical.

[Aelric]

It might be an exception for waeguk, but my buddy is gonna have to buy a house if he wants the approval of his K-girlfriends family when they get married. I've never heard of the brides family buying them a house.

[chrisblank]

Traditionally the way it works is that if the groom is the eldest son, his parents provide an apartment for the couple, and then move in with them.

[Unposter]

Usually, it is the groom and/or his family that provides the house. This could be cheonsae (key money ) or outright ownership. It is very difficult to marry in Korea unless the groom and/or his family can do this.

The bride and/or her family is expected to "fill" the house with furniture, cooking utensils and everything else the new couple needs to start their life.

While traditionally, having 3 generations under one roof was considered meritorious, today, it is rarely done. Mostly, a new couple moves into thier new place. But, sure, sometimes, they do move in with the husband's family. It is probably (not really sure - just my feeling) that this happens mostly with the really rich and the really poor (if they can actually marry). It is not a middle class kind of thing.

A Korean saying is that there are 3 keys to a man marrying: A key to the car, a key to the office and a key to the house. Otherwise, you ain't marrying. I think being able to at least put up cheonsae (key money) is a critical factor to a Korean couple marrying.

[shcforward]

I'll throw a little curveball. I don't know of any newly-weds that are living with one of the couples parents except for financial issues, but...

I do know of several older couples (whose children are middle school / high school / college age) who have a mother or mother-in-law living with them, or at least spending half of the week at their house.

[hellofaniceguy]

Let me tell you what....I have seen in many countries....including the good 'ol U.S. of A. and Canada.....newlyweds living with their parents or outlaws.
It's not just a korean thing...the Japanese do the same thing, French, Germans, etc....it's all about money!

[jvalmer]

Traditionally the eldest son had the burden to house the parents of the family. These days it's becoming less common since Korea has become affluent. But now the reasons are a combination of financial and cultural reasons.

Also seeing it more and more in Canada, mostly due to the ridiculous home prices now.

[Privateer]

The groom is supposed to buy a house but I don't know how anyone can afford to do this the way prices are these days, unless of course they have rich parents. I think most people go into huge debt, which it's pretty hard to pay off on the average salary. A financial crisis and/or housing bubble in Korea is coming sooner or later.

[Privateer]

[jomiro]

heres what ive been told by my k orean friends:

men provide the house/ apartment
women provide the interior

also, after marriage you are supposed to move out and live your own life to strengthen the relationship between you and your spouse

i have only heard of cases staying with the partens, if they were financially unstable or still students

everybody else moved out and enjoyed their happily married life

[pkjh]

Some do and some don't. Like jvalmer said, back in the old days the eldest son is supposed to take on the role as the primary bread winner for the parents and any unmarried siblings. But these days with Koreans only having 1 or 2 kids, many will move out, and take the parents in when they are really really old.

[misher]