Korean Job Discussion Forums

cdninkorea · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

I've gotten the impression that the whole "Must Get Married By 30" mindset is fading fast with Korean women in the new generation of 20-somethings.

I read an article (can't remember which newspaper- maybe Real Reality can find something related?) a few months ago that with the influence of Western dating mores starting to take hold here, things like casual dating and staying single longer are on the rise (so, apparently, are one night stands, thanks to awful shows like Sex and The City and the Korean versions like "Single in Seoul").

This has been my personal experience as well: while the majority of K-girls I've been out with or even just talked to have been in their early or mid 20s, a few have been in their late 20s and don't seem to be in any hurry, instead talking about how they want to build a career for themselves first or move abroad for a few years.

What do others think? Is this your impression too?

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

I'm seeing a girl who's 35 and unmarried (as far as I know).

Loads of girls at school say they're unsure of whether they wanna get married and have kids or not. I expected them all to answer "yes definitely" to that, thanks to parents' indoctrination and/or society norms, but that was far from being the case.

seoulsucker

mole · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Act III

I was seeing a Korean girl, going on 30. Took her parents a year to get used to the idea.
But the second they did, it was utter madness. "Marry! Now!"
I bet she was married within a month after we stopped seeing each other.

That was 8 or so years back. I definitely see things have changed/are changing.

billybrobby · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

i've gone out with an known a few 30 year olds and none of them seemed to be in a hurry to get married. but maybe that's because in Korea, you only need 2 weeks to get to know somebody well enough to get married. (that's how long it takes to figure out if the BMW is a lease or not).

xtchr · Joined: 23 Nov 2004

Why do you refer to 30 or 35 year olds as 'girls'?

Junior · Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Location: the eye

The best looking ones play as long as possible. The less good looking and more innocent ones want to get hitched quickly.
Same the world over.

But yes, korean society dictates that it is a tragedy and there must be wrong with someone if they are

a) Over 30 and unmarried
b) over 25 and single
c) Married without children

I saw statistics showing that 50% of British adults over 30 are single. I happened to show it to a co-worker and she went into shock.

neandergirl · Joined: 23 Jun 2005

Haven't seen much evidence of change amongst the people I know. There's still very much a schedule they feel they have to follow (not saying it's what they'd choose if they had their druthers; not saying it's not). Marry (most of them well before 30) and have first child (hopefully a boy) 2 years after the wedding. Have another baby about 2 years after first (although if you manage the first two items there seems to be more flexibility on this one). Of course this is just among the people I know.

cdninkorea · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

neandergirl · Joined: 23 Jun 2005

What's wrong with girls?

Ody · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Location: over here

these days, K. women are holding out on marriage until after they're 30. -BUT, they do expect to be engaged.

NearlyKorean · Joined: 15 Mar 2003 Location: Phoenix, AZ

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

The Man known as The Man · Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 6:22 am Post subject:

endo · Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Location: Seoul...my home

Are we talking the normal definition of 30 or that wacky Korean definition of 30.

I keep telling my girl she's 26 and not 28 years old.