Man Finds Out Girlfriend Went on a 'Woho' Trip
"She Acted Like She Wanted to Hide It... Considering Breaking Off the Engagement"
A man who is about to get married recently found out by chance that his girlfriend had previously gone on a 'Working Holiday (Woho)' and is now considering breaking off the engagement.
On the 1st, a user named A posted a story on an online community, saying he is dating his girlfriend and they are planning to get married. A visited his girlfriend’s house and discovered that photos of her with foreigners were from her Woho days. The problem was that his girlfriend appeared embarrassed about it.
After searching for 'Woho' online, A found mostly negative stories. His friends also reacted by saying, "It was wrong to hide it until marriage." The poster wrote, "I’m asking for opinions on whether I should go through with the marriage or call it off."
Netizens who read the story responded with comments like, "Woho rarely ends well, so I recommend breaking off the engagement," and "There’s a reason many people speak negatively about it." On the other hand, some netizens said, "The past is just the past," "It’s the same even if you live in Korea. How many people have no past dating experience? Why discriminate against Woho?" and "It’s pathetic to hesitate about marrying a girlfriend you’ve dated for three years over something like that."
Social Prejudice Surrounding Woho Deepens... "Promiscuous" vs. "Dissolute"
Meanwhile, social prejudices between men and women regarding Woho have recently intensified, escalating into conflicts. The negative perception is that women who have done Woho are promiscuous, while men who have done it are dissolute.
Woho is a youth exchange mobility program based on agreements between countries that allow young people to experience local lifestyles, culture, language learning, and economic activities for one year abroad. However, social views have become unfavorable to the extent that some marriage agencies reportedly check for Woho experience and deduct points accordingly.
On the other hand, there are quite a few people who hold positive views about Woho. One netizen who had been on Woho said, "I know the Woho image isn’t good. The rumors are not entirely baseless," but added, "It’s not right to condemn everyone who has done Woho. A friend I met during Woho worked diligently to save money, studied hard to improve English skills, and got a good job after returning to Korea."
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