"Wedding, No Meal and Small Congratulatory Money"... Heated Debate Over YouTuber 'Shuka's Remarks

The Controversial 'Chug-ui-geum Debate' Heats Up
YouTuber Shuka Shares Candid Opinion on Chug-ui-geum Debate
"Is It Okay to Give Less Chug-ui-geum If You Skip the Meal?"
Netizens Divided: "Good Idea" vs "Annoying"

Recently, the 'wedding gift money' controversy has become a hot topic, with a famous YouTuber sparking discussion by saying, "If you don't eat the meal, can't you just pay less for the wedding gift money?"

YouTuber 'Shuka' making a candid statement regarding the 'Chuk-e-geum' controversy.
[Photo by YouTube 'Shuka World Comics']

On the 13th, several online communities and social networking services (SNS) featured a post titled "Isn't it okay to not eat at the wedding and lower the wedding gift money?" The post referred to a video uploaded last December on the YouTube channel 'Shuka World Comics' titled "What if they serve expensive steak at the wedding?" The video included YouTuber Shuka's candid remarks about the cost of meals and wedding gift money at weddings.

Shuka explained, "These days, the average meal price at wedding halls ranges from 60,000 to 90,000 KRW per person, which is quite expensive, so if you pay only 50,000 KRW for the wedding gift money and still eat the meal, you get labeled as a 'troublemaker.' In the past, meal prices were between 35,000 and 40,000 KRW, so paying 50,000 KRW as wedding gift money was enough. There was no room for disputes." He continued, "But now, since there are no 80,000 KRW bills, which is slightly above the average meal price, people struggle with the dilemma of 'paying 100,000 KRW feels excessive, but paying 50,000 KRW, which is less than the meal cost, might make me look stingy.'"

YouTuber 'Shuka' making a candid statement regarding the 'Chuk-e-geum' controversy.
[Photo by YouTube 'Shuka World Comics']

He stated, "Getting married is about the couple expressing gratitude to guests who come to celebrate, but in Korea, at some point, it turned into 'passing the cost onto others.' Now, people prefer those who don't come and just give the gift money without eating over those who come to congratulate in person. Because of this, I sometimes think, 'Wouldn't it be better if they just didn't serve meals?'" He added, "There is no reason for us to go to the venue and cut steak. This is something the wedding companies do to make money, so serving just simple refreshments at weddings should be fine."

Netizens who watched the video responded with comments such as, "Hotel weddings can be burdensome," "Good idea," "I agree with the sentiment of not showing off by buying expensive meals with someone else's money," "The problem is passing the meal cost onto guests who come to celebrate," "Even serving a bowl of banquet noodles would be fine," and "It's a meal to thank those who take their precious time to celebrate my wedding." Netizen A, who got married during the COVID-19 pandemic, said, "When I got married during COVID, my biggest worry was 'What if people don't come?' I was just grateful that they came, and since they made the effort to attend, I thought I should serve them a warm meal regardless of how much was paid. I think this kind of mindset is needed in Korea."

On the other hand, some netizens responded, "What's the problem if I want to enjoy because I paid a lot?" "Wedding gift money should be given according to etiquette," "50,000 KRW doesn't even cover the venue rental fee," "People seem unaware of the current cost of living," and "It's a once-in-a-lifetime wedding; no matter what anyone does, what's the problem?"

Average Meal Price at Wedding Halls in Seoul is 82,000 KRW... Bride and Groom 'Disheartened'

Photo by Asia Economy DB

Meanwhile, on the 17th, an examination of wedding costs at six wedding halls in Seoul showed that the average meal price per person was 82,000 KRW. Prices varied by vendor, ranging from a minimum of 66,000 KRW to a maximum of 108,000 KRW, and for hotel wedding halls, the average meal price rose significantly to 160,000 KRW per person. According to the 'Ordinary People's Financial Life Report 2024' published by Shinhan Bank in April, the amount of wedding gift money given to acquaintances varied depending on attendance and the wedding venue. The most common response for those who only gave gift money without attending was 50,000 KRW (52.8%), with an average amount of 80,000 KRW. For those who attended in person, 100,000 KRW was the most common amount (67.4%), with an average of 110,000 KRW.