"South Korean Men Flock to Marry Japanese Women... Japanese Netizens React"

Spending Tens of Millions of Won to Prepare for Matchmaking in Japan
"I Will Travel Back and Forth to Japan Until I Get Married"
Lower Marriage Costs Compared to Korea as the Main Reason
Japanese Netizens Show Explosive Interest: "I Understand, But..."

A view of downtown Tokyo to help understand the article. Pixabay

The number of South Korean men traveling to Japan for "marriage matchmaking trips" with Japanese women is rapidly increasing. This trend is seen as an attempt to find a spouse in Japan, where the financial burden of marriage is considered lower than in South Korea.

On August 7, Japanese media outlet TBS News reported, "The number of South Korean men who hope to marry Japanese women and are coming to Japan to find a spouse is rising sharply."

According to the report, Ha Kyungmin (35), who works in aircraft research and development in South Korea, visited Japan to participate in a matchmaking meeting with a Japanese woman. He even studied Japanese to prepare for meetings with Japanese women and chose a popular matcha cafe, favored by women, as the location for the matchmaking.

Ha said he invested more than 1 million yen (about 943,000 won) in matchmaking agency registration fees, airfare, and appearance management costs such as hair care. He stated, "I will travel back and forth to Japan several times until I get married."

South Korean man: "I will travel to Japan several times until I get married"

The main reason Ha is seeking a Japanese woman as a spouse is economic. In South Korea, there is a prevailing notion that men must prepare a home when getting married, which creates a heavy burden. In contrast, there is a perception that marriage to a Japanese woman involves relatively fewer financial demands. Ha said, "In South Korea, it is common for men to provide a home as part of marriage culture," and added, "If you want to buy a house without a loan, you will be over forty."

Hong Daeui, the head of Deirie, a matchmaking agency specializing in pairing South Korean men with Japanese women, stated, "We have received over 8,000 applications from South Korean men," indicating a flood of requests. Hong noted, "South Korean men have given up on marriage (in South Korea)," but "Japanese women have an attitude of working together (toward marriage)."

"The fact that many Japanese women are interested in South Korean men also plays a role"

There are also quite a few cases where Japanese women express interest in South Korean men. One Japanese woman who had a matchmaking meeting with a South Korean man said, "Even in Korean dramas, I am impressed by how they try to do things on their own. They have a perfect image," expressing her favorable impression.

Sasano Misae, a lecturer at Ibaraki University, explained, "Young women who have been exposed to Korean movies and content since childhood have little resistance to Korea, and on the contrary, they see it as sparkling and attractive."

This article has attracted significant attention in Japan, with more than 10,000 comments posted. The comment that received the most recommendations stated, "The requirement for the man to prepare an apartment is the same as in China. Moreover, the conditions are strict, such as it having to be in Seoul," adding, "The trend of remaining unmarried is accelerating, and competition is fierce."

Japanese netizens show explosive interest: "I understand why Koreans remain unmarried" "Men will change after marriage"

One netizen commented, "While dating, women are treated like princesses, but after marriage, men become patriarchal, and the household environment becomes uncomfortable, like the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. It is not a glamorous and sparkling world like in TV dramas."

Another netizen pointed out, "The spread of non-marriage ideology among South Korean women may also be a factor," and added, "As women's education and income levels rise, the economic requirements for a marriage partner become stricter, and eventually, people give up on marriage itself."

Yet another netizen remarked, "If the match is successful and a relationship begins, both sides will gradually notice cultural differences," and continued, "If the reason for marrying a Japanese woman is because one's income is not enough to own a home, then even if they get married, the gap between the life the woman envisioned and reality may cause her to eventually return to Japan." The commenter added, "International marriage is surprisingly difficult, so it is important to consider how much you can accept, and whether you have the capacity (open-mindedness) to accept each other's cultures."