Getting Hitched is Hard

Men’s obsession with one-sided love and women’s obsession with a man’s background have been suggested as the largest obstacles to marriage. (Image : Yonhap)

SEOUL, Jan.11 (Korea Bizwire) – Men’s obsession with one-sided love and women’s obsession with a man’s background have been suggested as the largest obstacles to marriage.

According to a survey conducted on 518 single men and women from January 4 to January 9 by Bien-Aller and Only You, two matchmaking services, 29 percent of men answered that they were having difficulties finding a woman because they were ‘forming an image of the woman they want to marry based on their one-sided love’.

‘The ideal woman didn’t like me’ ranked second (22.4 percent), followed by ‘lack of decision’ (20.1 percent), and ‘being overly picky on certain requirements’ (13.1 percent).

In the meantime, ‘being overly picky on certain requirements’ (28.2 percent) ranked as the top reason among women.

‘Being hung up on the best person compared to previous boyfriends’ (23.2 percent) ranked second, followed by ‘having unrealistic standards for spouses’ (20.1 percent) and ‘the ideal man didn’t like me’ (16.2 percent).

Among the standards set by themselves, both genders were asked which was the most irrational and worthless standard. In response, 25.5 percent of men answered ‘ingeniousness’, with ‘difference in age’ (23.2 percent) ranking second, followed by ‘being hung up on women with a certain occupation’ (17.0 percent), and ‘discrimination on where one is from’ (14.7 percent).

When it came to women, 22.4 percent answered ‘being hung up on men with a certain occupation’ to be the most irrational standard they set for themselves. ‘Men who spend a lot of money’ (18.2 percent) ranked second, followed by ‘insisting on men of a certain religion’ (16.6 percent), and ‘difference in age’ (13.9 percent).

Officials from Bien-Aller commented that single men and women have a realistic standard they obsess about which is different from the ideal spouse in their heads.

By M.H.Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)