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For some Koreans, the big question is this: Do you want to get married?
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As wedding prices continue to increase, more Koreans rethink the most iconic symbol of marriage: the wedding band.
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A survey conducted by matchmaking company Duo in the years 2023-2024 found that Korean couples would spend, on average, 360 million won (253,000 USD) for wedding preparations. This included costs associated with a marital home. As costs rise, some couples cut back on the rings they already have, as many couples may have them from an earlier stage of their relationship.
Oh Gayeon, 25, a bride to be, said "It felt as if we were spending unnecessary money." We didn't see any use for it.
Gayeon, an online matchmaking service, found that couples on average spent 3.6million won on their rings. However approximately 10% (of Koreans aged 20-30) no longer buy wedding bands.
Rings are a big part of the romantic relationship for this generation. They're used long before the wedding or engagement.
Since Western style weddings were popularized in Korea during the 1970s there has been a custom to prepare rings for at least two occasions: one pair of wedding rings for the bride, and a set for her engagement. With time, the ring culture has become more widespread. Couples purchase "couple bands" for dating anniversaries or "guard rings" in order to protect their wedding rings and enhance them. As a consequence, the meaning attached to wedding bands in the West becomes diluted.
One user on the anonymous professional application Blind made a joke about what might be seen as increasing ring prices. I have to prepare an engagement, a wedding and something called a "guard ring" (for my girlfriend). What a waste! The post stated, along with an amusing hand-drawn picture of a finger covered in six different rings.
The only ring you need
Some people still consider the wedding ring to be a symbol and commitment, despite other rings that may have been worn before.
"Ofcourse it's not small sum," Lee Jeong-min said, as a 24-year old future groom finished his preparations prior to his April wedding. "But, it's not enough to just forget about the wedding rings."
Lee said, "Most engagement rings are just to show off -- so you can brag on Instagram." "But, a wedding ring is a real deal." "It is a MUST."
Lee views wedding rings as a symbol for respecting family and a token to unwavering devotion.
He said that it was partly about the aesthetics of the wedding and also about showing off to your guests how you adhere to tradition. "A wedding involves a marriage between families."
Lee continued that even though they don't wear the rings everyday, they are a valuable memento of their special wedding.
Lee's views have been echoed by others online. Blind user said that he had purchased rings made of metal and not diamonds in response to someone's comment that wedding bands were too expensive. "You shouldn't be worried about other people's opinions if they don't bother you."
'Meaningless spending'
Gayeon found that 41.3 % of those who chose not to buy wedding bands stated they "didn’t see much significance in wedding rings." Another 23.9 per cent said they'd "rather spend the money to pay for other costs, such as purchasing a newlywed house."
Kim Seongjoo a 26 years old judge advocate who got married in 2024 revealed that he bought matching rings with his fiancee for their engagement. The pair used them again to exchange nuptials.
"I became engaged in July of 2023. At that time, we bought our rings. Kim: "We only used them during our wedding ceremony because we got engaged in July 2023 and it wasn't a long time ago." "I couldn't understand why I would need two rings over the course of a calendar year."
Kim said that couples are opting for simpler rings because diamonds are not "casual", are "difficult wear every day" and "not easy to find".
Oh, she agreed. "These days, the trend is to have one ring prepared that you can both wear on a daily basis. It's similar to upgrading your pair ring."
"It seemed like we were purposelessly spending. We thought 'Why use the cash to buy something for our parents they'd actually like'?" she added.
Social media is echoing the sentiment. Blind user: "We don't need a wedding ring as we already own a couple ring."
"I didn’t get a ring for my wedding and spent the money on our house." I believe people should do only what they are capable," read another post.
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