Many South Koreans are giving up the possibility of having a family altogether by choosing not to go on dates, getting married, and bearing children. This is especially bewildering considering the prevalent social pressure that has been on South Koreans to get married and to carry on the family bloodline.

Why is Marriage on the Decline?
Many young adults in East Asia are realizing that marriage involves much more than just a romantic relationship between two people. Traditionally, South Korea (along with many other Asian countries) promotes the message of married couples having various responsibilities such as raising children, taking care of elderly parents, and holding a stable job.

Most notably, young adults give up dating and the possibility of starting a family due to the competitive work environment in South Korea. South Koreans are known to be workaholics. This is especially the case when South Korea has been facing increasing economic uncertainty and a lack of economic growth. South Korea has very long work hours with insufficient pay and South Koreans constantly fear the possibility of losing their jobs to new, more competitive employees. This kind of work environment is repugnant with dating and marriage.

Cutting the Work for South Koreans
In an attempt to encourage young adults to date and get married, the South Korean government passed a law that cut the maximum work hours per week from 68 hours to 52 hours. This new legislation, passed in 2018, received widespread support from the public as well as in the National Assembly, where legislation is debated on and passed.

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So far, this law has been enforced on companies with over 300 employees with smaller companies also transitioning into this new work week recently in 2020. Along with this law, advocates push for other ways to further improve the balance between work and personal life among South Koreans. For example, Seoul City hall turns off its powers on certain nights to encourage workers to go home.

However, there has been concern over the possibility of poor economic growth with this shift in South Korea’s work culture. Critics of this shift express valid concern of this shift by pointing towards South Korea’s impressive economic prosperity and growth as a sovereign country after World War II. These critics rightfully claim that these long hours along with other factors such as an emphasis on education were the source of South Korea’s initial growth; they worry that growth will be stifled with this change.

It’s also crucial to note that these recent efforts made by the South Korean government will not be able to drastically change the work environment. Especially considering that many South Koreans adjust to this work environment from a very young age where students are constantly studying––among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), South Korea has the highest level of education. They continue studying and working upon reaching the workforce.

What's the Best Choice for Young Adults?
Individuals have a far greater desire to pursue one's ambitions and goals. This is nearly impossible in a situation where it is expected for couples to focus on each other and the possibility to start a family. Furthermore, with children, parents are frequently pressured to raise their kids to a certain standard––standard often defined by academic and economic success.

Although young adults express important concerns over the concept of marriage and dating, there are serious consequences in the future for South Koreans if this trend of low birth rates are to continue. It is likely that South Korea will face a similar fate as Japan with their aging population. Therefore, it is likely that South Korea will face issues such as a labour crisis and poor economic development.

Moreover, there is truth to claims that parenthood and marriage provides unique benefits to individuals. This can look like creating a valuable relationship with one’s children, a sense of happiness and worth at old age, and a family to rely on when one is most vulnerable such as after an important surgery.

Ultimately, it is up to each individual and one's circumstances to decide whether marriage is right for them.

Students' Perspectives
This is an important article for students to read and think about as it provides a valuable lesson for students, not just about marriage but also about regular decisions that students will have to make throughout their life. The concept within this article implicit emphasizes the importance of considering both the positive and negative implications with a certain decision. It also outlines how different people in different circumstances will make different decisions and this is perfectly acceptable as we are ultimately making a decision best suited for our unique lives.