Wedding Market Complaints Up 32% from January to March
No Progress Despite Price Display System Announcement
#Choi (30), an office worker preparing for his wedding next September, had a frustrating experience when he visited a wedding brokerage company for wedding preparations. When told that the total cost for 'Seudeume (Studio, Dress, Makeup)' was 4.8 million KRW, he asked for the individual costs but was told, "We cannot disclose individual prices." Unpleasant incidents continued afterward. At the store he visited to choose a dress, he was asked for an additional fee of up to 1 million KRW because the dress was a new arrival, and if he chose a new arrival dress, he was told he would have to pay an extra 100,000 KRW for a 'Helper' (an assistant who helps the bride manage her dress on the wedding and shooting day). Choi said, "The more I prepare for the wedding, the more I encounter incomprehensible situations," adding, "Even though I am spending millions of won, I feel like I am being deceived without knowing what is wrong."
Although the government has taken measures to rectify the 'dark' wedding market, unfair trading practices in the wedding market remain prevalent. Experts point out that due to the market's nature, where most consumers have no prior purchasing experience, unfair transactions can flourish, and there is a need to bridge the 'information gap' between companies and consumers.
According to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC), complaints related to wedding businesses received from January to March this year increased by 32% compared to the same period last year. Over the three years from April 2021 to March this year, 1,010 complaints were filed, averaging 27 complaints per month during the same period. Major complaints included 'insufficient prior notice of additional fees,' 'opaque price information,' and 'refusal to refund deposits upon contract cancellation.'
The wedding market has seen various unfair trading practices due to its unique characteristics, such as consumers' limited purchasing experience and low repurchase rates. During this period, wedding preparation costs surged. According to a survey conducted by the matchmaking company Gayeon in January targeting 1,000 newlyweds married between 1 to 5 years, the average cost was 62.98 million KRW. The wedding hall cost 10 million KRW, and Seudeume was 4.79 million KRW, among others.
The government has also taken steps to rectify the wedding market, but progress remains slow. In March, Choi Sang-mok, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, announced through the 'Youth-Friendly Service Development Plan' that a 'price display system' mandating wedding service providers to comply with price display targets, items, and methods would be introduced by the end of this year. However, there has been no progress related to this so far. Additionally, the government pledged to conduct a 'wedding service status survey' and establish related legal grounds within this year, but discussions on implementation plans are also at a standstill.
Experts advise that active government mediation is necessary to bridge the information gap in the wedding market. Professor Eunhee Lee of Inha University's Department of Consumer Studies said, "The reason price information in the wedding market is opaque is that most consumers have no experience using these services and only use them once in their lifetime," adding, "The government needs to actively introduce the price display system quickly and prepare standard contracts."
Professor Chul Choi of Sookmyung Women's University's Department of Consumer Economics also emphasized, "If the government takes action, public interest in the wedding market will increase, and consumers will actively share lists of unfair companies and related experiences among themselves," adding, "Even without special sanctions, if consumers collectively raise issues, the companies involved will inevitably feel the burden themselves."
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