Husband Buys Expensive Home Appliances for In-Laws Every Year
Length of Time Spent at Both Families' Homes a Major Source of Conflict for Couple
A daughter-in-law's story of responding to her mother-in-law's demand for a kimchi refrigerator by promising to buy the same for her own parents has been shared. On the 17th, an online community post titled 'I hit back at my in-laws who asked for a kimchi refrigerator' was uploaded. The author, A, began by saying, "My mother-in-law tends to ask for everything from small items to big ones. Since my husband got a job, he has been shopping for her every year, spending about 1 to 2 million won at a time."
A continued, "On the other hand, my parents rarely asked me to buy anything before I got married. But after marriage, since my husband has to buy things for his parents, he also takes care of my parents. I don't deliberately refuse or decline either." A revealed, "This time, my mother-in-law said she wanted to replace the kimchi refrigerator. My husband was watching my reaction, but I was conflicted because if I do it for my in-laws, I have to do it for my parents too, and it would cost a lot."
She added, "While having a meal with my mother-in-law, I couldn't hold back and brought it up first. I asked, 'Do you need to replace the kimchi refrigerator? Do you have a model in mind?' We talked about what would be good, and I said, 'I think my mom would like a kimchi refrigerator too.'"
In response to A's answer, "My mother-in-law's expression suddenly changed, and she retorted, 'Does your family need to buy a kimchi refrigerator too?' I said, 'You didn't say anything separately, but we should buy it together this time,' and she just ate silently. I just got a message saying, 'It's more expensive than I thought. Let's look again next time,'" she revealed. She continued, "On one hand, I feel somewhat relieved, but I am overwhelmed thinking about how many more power struggles like this I will have to endure." Netizens who read the story responded with comments like, "I think you handled it wisely," and "You covered it cleverly."
On average, 36% of men and women argue most frequently during holidays
Around January 2022, a survey conducted by the remarriage matchmaking company OnlyU and the matchmaking agency Bienarae revealed that on average, 36% of divorced men and women reported having the most frequent marital fights during holidays. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. [Photo by Asia Economy DB]
In January 2022, a remarriage matchmaking company OnlyU and matchmaking agency Bienarae conducted a survey, which found that on average, 36% of divorced men and women argued most frequently during holidays. Men cited 'time spent at both families' homes' as the main cause of conflict, while women ranked 'division of roles in preparing ancestral rites' as number one. When asked, 'When did conflicts between spouses occur most frequently during your marriage with your ex-spouse?' 36.0% (men 35.8%, women 36.2%) answered 'during holidays,' the highest response rate.
Among women, 'division of roles in preparing ancestral rites' (34.3%) was the most selected reason. The top reason men chose, 'time spent at both families' homes,' was second with 25.0%. Other reasons included 'uncomfortable relationships with in-laws' family members' (18.3%) and 'whether to visit the in-laws' (14.6%). Although the ranking differed between men and women, both viewed time spent at both families' homes as a major cause of conflict.
Aside from holidays, men reported conflicts most often during 'birthdays and various anniversaries of the wife's family' (25.0%), 'the couple's birthdays' (20.5%), and 'the couple's wedding anniversaries' (12.0%). Women reported 'ancestral rites at the husband's family' (26.1%), 'birthdays and various anniversaries of the husband's family' (19.0%), and 'the couple's birthdays' (10.5%) as the most frequent times for conflicts.
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