Things You Should Know About Dating In Korea

Korea is a place for lovers. Couples declare their love with matching ‘couple looks’, men and women alike watch romance-heavy K-dramas and holidays such as Valentine’s Day and White Day allow Koreans to celebrate their significant other. With that said, dating in Korea usually adheres to some strict unwritten rules; here are the top things you need to know.

Did you know you can now travel with Culture Trip? Book now and join one of our premium small-group tours to discover the world like never before

1. Matching is cool

When you first get to Korea, you will almost certainly laugh at couples in matching outfits. Fast-forward a few months, though, and it will become a relationship norm. Whether it’s couple T-shirts, couple phone cases, matching head-to-toe togs, Koreans take style seriously. So why not use it to show the world who your boo is?

2. You need to put a ring on it

3. Hope you like anniversaries!

And it’s not just the 100-day mark you can expect to celebrate. Korean couples celebrate in 100-day increments counting from the first day of their relationship – at 100 days, 200, 300, 500 and 1,000 days. Younger couples (usually teens) celebrate their 22nd day together.

4. Cute’s not just for the girls

From using cute emoticons on popular messaging app KakaoTalk to getting inked with an armful of cartoon tattoos, boys are just as cute as the girls in Korea. So it makes sense that couples aren’t afraid to show their cute side by buying each other candy, holding hands in public or eating dessert together in a pink-themed cafe. No one’s going to question your masculinity.

5. Sharing is caring

If you go out for dinner, expect to share. Many Korean restaurants serve dishes made for two people (which is why some places turn single diners away). The popular Korean dessert bingsu almost always comes in an enormous, towering bowl, and sharing a bowl of bingsu is a popular date activity. It’s normal for couples to share a milkshake or frappuchino in cafes as well.

6. Say it with flowers

With so many anniversaries, it’s no wonder that Korean couples regularly give small gifts. Head out on any weekend night and you’ll see girls carrying bouquets left, right and centre. To sate this demand, Korea has a thriving industry of florists. Many corner shops sell bouquets with the innovative addition of chocolate nestled amongst the flowers, and city centres often have vending machines where you can buy small posies.

7. Koreans celebrate White Day

Held one month after Valentine’s Day, White Day is another holiday celebrating love. Koreans do Valentine’s a little differently than Westerners: like Japan, Valentine’s Day sees women giving chocolates or other tokens of affection to men. On White Day, men return the favour, gifting white-coloured candy, jewellery or other presents to their lady love.

8. Keep the PDA PG

Korean couples might match their outfits, but they’re much more reserved about public displays of affection. Holding hands is normal but kissing on the lips? Not so much. If you’re from a more openly affectionate country, save your lovey-dovey displays for somewhere more private.

9. Koreans stay in touch

Viewing cherry blossoms is a popular date activity

If you’re dating a Korean, expect to stay connected all the time. Wi-Fi is everywhere, and most Korean cell phones come with unlimited data packages, so don’t be surprised if your new love checks in with you throughout the day or wants to know what you ate after every single meal; it’s a sign they care about you.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.