"Get 10 Million Won When You Become a Couple"… Seoul's Version of 'I Am Solo' Popular for Checking Workplace and Family Registry

Required Submission of Certificate of Residence and Employment
"Only Those with Verified Residence, Income, and Marital Status"
Up to 10 Million KRW Dating Voucher for Matched Couples

The so-called 'Seoul City Edition I Am Solo,' which arranges meetings for 100 unmarried men and women, is showing high competition rates.

According to Seoul City on the 5th, the number of applicants for 'Excitement, in Hangang' reached 1,673 as of 2 p.m. that day, recording a competition rate of 16.7 to 1. 'Excitement, in Hangang' is an event organized by Seoul City in collaboration with Woori Bank to arrange meetings for 100 unmarried men and women aged 25 to 39 residing in the district. Applications have been accepted since the 21st of last month and will close on the 8th.

Photo unrelated to the article. Pixabay

Participants will take part in various programs from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the day, including a Hangang yacht tour, recreational games, and one-on-one conversations. On-site dating experts provide dating coaching to ease participants' tension and conduct game and mission activities. The event concludes with participants submitting a form listing their preferred partners ranked from first to third. The final couple matching results will be individually notified to the parties the next day, and matched couples will be provided with dating vouchers up to a maximum of 10 million KRW depending on the total number of couples.

While local governments hold dozens of events annually to arrange meetings for unmarried men and women, it is typically characterized by a significantly higher ratio of male participants. In some local governments, female public officials have been mobilized to balance the gender ratio due to a lack of female applicants. However, in the case of 'Excitement, in Hangang,' the male-to-female participant ratio is about 5.5 to 4.5, indicating a high number of female participants. Seoul City believes this positive response is due to the large number of unmarried men and women residing in the district and the trusted participant verification process. To apply, applicants must submit a resident registration certificate (or abstract), employment certificate (for employees), business registration certificate (for business owners), income certificate (for freelancers), and detailed marriage relation certificate, among others.

A Seoul City official said, "We did not expect such a large number of participants because we did not conduct any promotional activities other than issuing a press release," adding, "The number of applicants had been gradually decreasing since last week but is increasing again at the last moment. I heard that young people often recommend and get recommended through social networking services (SNS)." The official also noted, "Some applicants wrote in their reasons for applying that they had been deceived into dating someone they thought was single but were betrayed," adding, "'Excitement, in Hangang' seems popular because only those whose marital status, occupation, and residence are verified can participate."