Divorced Women Feel Stressed When Reading 'Seol Overseas Travel Articles'... What About Divorced Men?

Survey on Lunar New Year Stress Before Divorce Among Men and Women Hoping to Remarry
Women: "Have one more meal before you go"
Men: "Stay overnight"

A survey revealed that married women visiting their in-laws' home during the Lunar New Year holiday find the phrase "Have one more meal before you go" most burdensome, while married men visiting their wife's family feel most pressured by the phrase "Stay overnight."

On the afternoon of the 24th, ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, citizens and returning travelers are boarding trains at Seoul Station. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 30th, according to Only-U, a remarriage-specialized matchmaking company, and Vienarae, a marriage information company, when asked, "During the Lunar New Year holiday while married to your ex-spouse, did you worry about what kind of remarks you might hear when visiting your wife’s (or husband’s) family?" 32.4% of male respondents said they found the phrase "Stay overnight" most burdensome. This was followed by "When siblings and their families (brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and their families) come, see them off" (27.7%), "Have one more meal before you go" (24.1%), and "Take some food with you" (15.8%). Among female respondents, 31.3% chose "Have one more meal before you go" as the most burdensome. Next were "Take some food with you" (28.4%), "When siblings and their families (brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and their families) come, see them off" (23.0%), and "Stay overnight" (17.3%). This survey was conducted nationwide with 278 men and women each who are divorced and hoping for remarriage in their twilight years, totaling 556 participants.

When asked, "What was the main factor that gave you a headache just thinking about visiting your wife’s (or husband’s) family during the Lunar New Year holiday before your divorce?" male respondents most frequently cited "uncomfortable living conditions such as washing, using the restroom, and sleeping arrangements." Female respondents selected "an unfriendly atmosphere" as the biggest factor. Additionally, men ranked "noisy and bustling environment" (21.2%) first, followed by "unfamiliar household items" (8.6%), whereas women ranked "unfamiliar household items" (22.3%) ahead of "noisy and bustling environment" (14.4%).

Regarding the news topics related to the Lunar New Year that cause the most stress, 33.8% of men cited "expenses (preparing ancestral rites, pocket money, New Year's money, etc.)" as the top stressor, followed by "road conditions" (28.1%), "overseas travel" (23.0%), and "unrealistic Lunar New Year scenes" (15.1%). Female respondents identified "overseas travel" (35.6%) as the biggest stress factor, followed by "unrealistic Lunar New Year scenes" (26.6%), "expenses" (24.5%), and "road conditions" (13.3%).

Son Dong-gyu, CEO of Only-U, explained, "Recently, it has become common for the wife's family to want to spend more time with their daughter and encourage the husband to 'stay overnight.' On the other hand, women who feel burdened by their in-laws often want to return home as soon as possible, so the suggestion to 'have one more meal before you go' can feel the most burdensome."