Men reported increased interaction with romantic interests (30.6%) and hobby group members (24.3%), while women strengthened ties with their birth families (28.7%) and social friends (26.1%). (Image courtesy of Pixabay/CCL)
SEOUL, Nov. 10 (Korea Bizwire) – A recent survey has unveiled distinct gender differences in how divorced South Koreans experience newfound freedom, with men prioritizing unrestricted travel while women most appreciate being able to treat traditional holidays as personal vacation time.
The study, conducted jointly by matchmaking agencies Only You and Bien-Aller, surveyed 536 divorced individuals (268 of each gender) nationwide between October 28 and November 2, exploring how they experience personal freedom after divorce.
Among male respondents, 29.1% cited “freely traveling” as their primary source of post-divorce liberation. In contrast, 32.5% of women ranked “using holiday periods as vacation time” as their top freedom – a telling reflection of the traditional familial obligations Korean women often face during major holidays like Lunar New Year and Chuseok.
For men, other significant freedoms included dating (24.6%), returning home after midnight (21.3%), and showing filial piety (17.5%). Women listed travel (25%), filial duties (18.7%), and dating (16.7%) as their subsequent priorities.
The survey also explored changes in social relationships post-divorce. Men reported increased interaction with romantic interests (30.6%) and hobby group members (24.3%), while women strengthened ties with their birth families (28.7%) and social friends (26.1%). Both groups listed school alumni connections as their third most expanded social circle.
“Men, who typically face stronger social pressure to suppress sexual desires during marriage, tend to prioritize romantic relationships after divorce,” an Only You representative explained. “Women often return to their original families or receive emotional and financial support from parents and siblings.”
The study also examined changes in vocabulary after divorce. Men reported dropping terms like “wife” (32.1%) and “yes, dear” (22.7%) from their daily lexicon, while women ceased using words like “enemy” (34.7%) and “that person” (23.1%). Both groups mentioned stopping use of the term “unbearable” (16.5% for men, 19.4% for women).
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
