Dating reality shows boom as more South Koreans avoid marriage

In South Korea, as more people turn away from pursuing romantic relationships, marriages and traditional family life, reality dating shows proliferate as a source of secondhand experiences to fulfil their basic desire for love.

In 2022 alone, there were at least 20 different reality dating shows that aired across South Korea's cable TV networks and video streaming platforms, more than triple the number in 2021, according to a Reuters tally.

"I am most comfortable as it is now and does not quite get why I have to get married and do more things such as paying a visit to the parents of both sides every holiday season or birthdays," Lee told Reuters about the couple's reticence to marry, as a camera crew filmed them around their residence.

According to figures from Statistics Korea, just 50.1% of South Koreans now consider marriage a must. The number of newly-married couples dropped 23% in the last five years, while non-family households jumped 75%. Its fertility rate is also the world's lowest.

"If I get married, the marriage will make it some kind of a right (for my husband and his parents) to demand I have a baby. So, I also want to avoid that," Lee said, adding she thought it would be impossible to become a good mother and keep being herself at the same time.

Her partner Cho still hopes for marriage and children, although the former K-pop idol turned YouTuber says he understands Lee's reluctance given that women usually bear the greater burden in child-rearing.

Many South Korean women share Lee's hesitance. Among women in their 30s living alone, 71% said they were willing to continue their single lifestyle, in a survey of 2,000 single households conducted by KB Financial Group in October.

Kim Jin, chief producer of ‘Living Together without Marriage’, said they were neither advocating cohabitation nor discouraging marriage. "By showing various couples' lifestyles and the reasons why they are living together instead of getting married, we wanted to bring the topic of cohabitation to the society, above the surface."

In South Korea, living together outside marriage is now more accepted, with the approval rate up to 65% from 46% a decade before, while only 35% agree an unmarried couple can have a child, according to the latest government surveys.

Among those who actually live with an unmarried partner, 31% cited financial reasons, followed by 19% who did not want to be bound by institutions or norms.

Avid viewers and experts of reality dating shows point to their cast of ordinary people, whom people can more easily relate to than actors and actresses in scripted movies and TV dramas, for the views and clicks the shows attract.

"Many viewers are experiencing the 'identification effect' through vicarious pleasure and emotional empathy," said Lim Myung-ho, a psychology professor.

Kim Yu-jin, a viewer of 'Single's Inferno 2', the second season of a hit reality dating series produced by streaming giant Netflix, was attending a fan meet-and-greet event and echoed Lim's views.

"When it comes to dating, I only have my own experience to base on, but I can look at other people's relationships through this dating show program. It’s quite fun too."

Reuters