High Living Costs, Societal Burdens Makes Unmarried Life Seems Appealing

January 15, 2025

In a world where living costs are constantly rising through the roof, the thoughts of marriage have long deterred from the minds of South Korean men. As staying single is becoming fairly common in the society, this further reflects on the systemic challenges of the nation.

Marriage Barriers

One of the biggest factors that contribute to the reluctance surrounding marriage thoughts are no other than financial burdens. The rise of housing prices in cities including Seoul, has soared immensely in recent times. The chances to afford a home is uncertain for young Koreans.

Other living expenses such as wedding costs, childcare and education fees further discourage the idea of marriage. As a matter of fact, an average South Korean wedding cost from $50,000 to $200,000.

“The lives of young Koreans are difficult, with no expectations of what their future life looks like, that leads in reluctance to marry,” said Na Kyung-won, a four term lawmaker.

Job Opportunities

South Korea is known for their highly competitive job market. The struggle to land a stable job makes it difficult for young adults to support a growing family financially. Although some managed to to secure a full time job, the working culture is intensely demanding.

Long working hours and high stress levels leaves very little to no room for personal endeavors. Hence, marriage and parenting life is the less practical option for younger generations.

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Gender Roles

This preference is also a result of strong societal norms. Society demands women to give up their careers and education to focus on caring for her family. On the other hand, men face the extreme pressures of earning enough money to support his entire household.

Such traditional gender roles are mostly outdated and very restrictive for present times. Nowadays, women are increasingly committed in building their careers to ensure financial independence. However, South Korean men still find it overwhelming to be the sole providers of a family.

As these attitudes shift, staying single still seems like the better choice for many individuals.

Their Priorities

As time progresses, many South Koreans are starting to prioritize their own happiness over anything else. By staying single and uncommitted, they are able to concentrate on their careers, exploring new hobbies and secure a financial stability.

Although the definition of success varies, these opportunities are what the single men and women prefers. Putting individual well-being at stake, marriage remains at the bottom of their to-do list.

Conclusion

As South Korea’s low birth rate and aging population remains at the forefront of the nation’s concern, the growing trend of living an unmarried life continues to reveal societal issues within the country. Such a trend will stay for many more years, if challenges including unaffordable housing and unhealthy working environments are not addressed.

As of now, the young Koreans are still living their stress-free single life.