South Korea's marriage industry

[bhchao]

Today's article on the growth of the marriage industry in South Korea: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/22/world/asia/22brides.html?pagewanted=1&hp

It mentions how men in South Korea are looking for brides in Southeast Asia as the social status of women rises at home, and women are becoming more selective or picky in choosing a mate.

The booming marriage industry is generating big bucks for brokers who arrange for meetings between men from Korea and women in Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam.

What is troubling about this phenomenom is that there is no shortage of females in South Korea, unlike the male surplus in China. Women outnumber men in South Korea. Yet there is still a surplus of bachelors just like in China, the main reason being the socioeconomic status of women.

The article points out a similar phenomenon in the US where many males used the marriage industry to meet women from Russia during the 1990's, due to American women's rising socioeconomic status.

If the two Koreas reunify, it could be a blessing for South Korean men since women outnumber men in North Korea and are miles behind from their southern counterparts in the economic ladder.

Based on my personal experience within the family, I have heard ridiculous reasons for rejecting a guy (like him being shorter, shaking his leg on the first date, asking his mother for permission to go out with the girl).

[skylee]

I have heard ridiculous reasons for rejecting a guy (like him being shorter, shaking his leg on the first date, asking his mother for permission to go out with the girl)

Sorry, but why are they ridiculous? (I agree that height is not really that important, though.)

[bhchao]

Sorry, but why are they ridiculous? (I agree that height is not really that important, though.)

這個壞習慣可以改變. 男人作這種事不一定會當不適合的老公. 但是我覺得男人抖腳不是規矩的人.

很多人說如果你抖腳, 你以後會沒有錢.

[HashiriKata]

Sorry, but why are they ridiculous?

I think it won't be fair to the guy to reject him silently for shaking his leg. One should at least giving him a chance by saying: "很多人說如果你抖腳, 你以後會沒有錢!"

We never know, he may change his habit as a result!

[skylee]

This is probably off the topic, but it is in the news today that in Hong Kong -

The sex ratio has fallen below parity. From 1,000 males per 1,000 females in 1996, the sex ratio dropped to 911 in 2006. The corresponding sex ratios after excluding foreign domestic helpers were 1,037 males per 1,000 females in 1996 and 961 males per 1,000 females in 2006.

As for marital status, the proportion of never-married people among the male population of age 15 and over decreased from 34.2% in 1996 to 33.9% in 2001, but increased again to 34.3% in 2006. For the females, the proportion was 28.9% in 1996, rising to 30.1% in 2001 and further increasing to 30.7% in 2006.

I am one of the 39 in excess of the 961 males. But hey there are 38 others in my league.

[gato]

What's the average marrying age for college grads in HK?