Dating South Korean Girls: What You Need to Know

Want to find out how you can date South Korean girls successfully? Here’s a great guide for you to check out on what to do and not to do when dating a South Korean girl. 

Ah, South Korea! The country you can’t help but love – and the amazing South Korean women are just one of the many reasons I say that. But it’s also what we’re going to focus on today.

South Korea is always in the news for its one-of-a-kind K-Pop culture that is slowly reaching every corner of the world. We have doll-like beauties and a culture that is like nothing we’ve seen so far: very Western, but at the same time extremely Asian.

The growth of K-Pop has definitely led to many people visiting South Korea to get to know more about the culture, as well as the people behind it.

As a result, many foreigners are falling in love with South Koreans, and for all the right reasons. But is it really that easy to date a girl from South Korea? Let’s hop on to find out!

Dating Culture in South Korea

Dating a South Korean is actually very tricky considering that it has a very rich culture that, like other Asian countries, is not like those practiced in the West.

Still, it’s very different from other popular touristic destination in Asia – so don’t expect women here to be like Filipino Girls, Thai women or basically any other in the area.

South Korea’s dating culture is a mix of both traditional and modern traditions. The country is one of the most progressive countries in Asia, but it is also one of the very few who are able to hold on to their rich traditions and cultures. 

If you will be dating a South Korean girl, here are some of the things you need to know about their dating culture. 

소개팅

In Korea, people form relationships with new people who were referred to them or ‘소개팅’.

This assures them that these people are trustworthy because they have at least one reference from their trusted group of friends.

If this new person, for example you, asked them to go on a date, Koreans will be ok with it because they have good reference. 

Of course, since you are a foreigner, you will most likely not have to go through this – but do expect your public social profiles to be searched and analyzed, so make sure to clean them up if they need some… trimming.

Regular Communication is a Must!

In South Korea, men and women will see that you are not interested in them if you don’t contact them immediately after your date to let them know you had fun with them.

Koreans actually love talking to people and especially with their loved ones. Actually, you are expected to communicate on a daily basis, so make sure to always keep her engaged, especially online via her favorite online messaging app.

It’s Not Just Valentines Day…

Like Japan, South Koreans value their couples so much that they also have other couples’ holidays such as White Day, Pepero Day and even Christmas.

Couples also see every 14th of the month as couples’ holidays that must be a special date for them. They also celebrate anniversaries and monthsaries…

So prepare to keep track of plenty of anniversaries and dates, but also have ready plenty of small gifts (and expect to receive many as well). Don’t go overboard here – a flower, a chocolate or even a nice box of tea can do well.

PDA is not the norm here

South Koreans are still traditional when it comes to PDA (aka public display of affection), especially the older generation.

If you are out with your girl, you need to limit your PDA and only do it in a private setting. The most acceptable public displays of affection are holding hands and hugging.

However, South Koreans who are in a relationship showcase their relationship status and happiness through social media mostly.

South Korean girls are always online, connected and ready to take a thousand photos of all the moments you’re enjoying together and then share them on social media. Of course, I’m only talking about family friendly stuff here.

Family Is Important to Them

If you are going to date a Korean woman, you will  be introduced to their family members at some point. It’s usually sooner rather than later, as these girls like to also have their OK from the family members, with whom they are really close.

South Koreans honor their family, especially their elderly. They will also be in regular contact with them, even after moving out. Most likely, when you meet, they will actually live together.

All in all, I would say that if you really want to compare these amazing girls with others, the closest would be Japanese women. They are indeed very similar.

What do South Korean Girls Look Like?

South Korea actually has a very high standard of what beauty is like for men and women.

The standards push for a slimmer body, small face, small lips, large eyes and flawless skin for women who always go for a youthful look

They also base their looks in the latest trends in the K-pop industry and try to follow it for themselves. So expect to see plenty of funky-looking ladies around. Keep your mind open and you will always be pleasantly surprised.

It is not uncommon to meet women who have gotten plastic surgery to get the looks they need.

At the very least, you should expect them to apply plenty of make-up and respect their daily beauty routine more than almost anything else in their lives. In other words, South Korean women DO care a lot about how they look like.

Which, I have to admit, is a big bonus for men out there. Even though these girls usually prefer K-Pop male lookalikes too, the simple fact that you are a foreigner will keep you exotic enough to be interesting without you having to go extremely overboard.

However, you’ll still be expected to put in at least a bit of effort into your looks.

Outside these beauty standards, South Koreans are naturally beautiful and do take care of themselves very well. This is part of their diet which mostly consists of healthy food they inherited from their ancestors and their unique healthy lifestyle.

Characteristics of South Korean Girls

Korean Girls are one of the cutest in the world and therefore it’s very easy to fall in love with them. But apart from their physical beauty, they also have an amazing soul and great personalities.

They are bubbly and happy and always smiling, therefore making every moment you are close to them a real treasure.

While most of their beliefs about relationships are still somewhat traditional, there will be those who are open to a more modern way to date and strengthen their relationships. 

Here are some of the main characteristics of Korean women:

They are Emotional

South Koreans are actually very emotional and will definitely put to heart everything that happens to them.

You can definitely see this characteristic in many Koreanovelas and in their music. As a result, you will need to be careful with the way you speak to them or talk about certain events.

However, this does not mean, by any means, that they’re gloomy and doomy. It’s actually the opposite!

They are Intelligent

South Korean girls are no slouches when it comes to academics. They are very intelligent and you will definitely be in a debate with them once you talk about topics that they are interested in. No simple talking here!

Korean Girls Are Time-Conscious

They are actually very diligent when it comes to time-management and as much as possible, they want to be on the go and do things efficiently.

As a result, they can get impatient if things are going slow around them or nothing is happening. 

South Korean Women Are Respectful

In South Korea, being respectful is an important part of the daily life. It is embedded in the psyche of both men and women and they show it in their actions.

Whether they are meeting someone new or people they know, they will be respectful and polite. This also means that they’re expecting the same from you.

Do South Korean Girls Speak Good English?

You will be surprised to find out that South Koreans, especially the younger generation, are pretty good in English.

Many South Korean families send their children overseas to learn English and are very fluent both in written and verbal means. 

However, if you will be dating South Koreans outside the capital, it may be difficult to find a girl who is very fluent in the language and discuss with them.

But, this does not stop South Koreans from interacting with foreigners and even get to know them. 

If you want to showcase your love to your South Korean girls, it would be a great idea to learn conversational Korean.

This will help you prevent any misunderstandings because some South Koreans may be good in English, but they may be reluctant to speak it because of their accent. 

When they do speak to you in an accent, don’t laugh because it will only hurt their feelings.

As we mentioned above, South Koreans are very emotional and this would basically shut down any potential doors you have opened (or could’ve).

What to Expect in Dating South Korean Girls

Be prepared to meet new people

If you are not a people-person, get ready to become one because if you are dating a South Korean girl, you will definitely need to get used to meeting their friends and family. It is also quite common that you will get into group dates with them. 

Date nights only now and then

South Korean people have very tight schedules, which is why it can be hard to date one – as in going on a proper date night.

If your Korean partner has a very tight schedule, don’t expect that they will drop their work just to be with you. Try to find a way through their busy schedule and plan well ahead. This is the only way to deal with it.

Expect “couple looks”

This might seem extremely cheesy or even strange for somebody used to the Western dating culture, but in South Korea, it is a must that couples try out couple looks or clothes that match one another.

There are plenty of options in the local stores and malls and online… and you will most likely be surprised (probably more than once) with a gift from her. Be warned and be prepared!

Bill splitting may occur

Don’t be surprised if your Korean girl gives you their share of the bill. Younger Koreans are pretty OK to split the bill after a date, but the first one should always be handled by the man.

Final words

South Korean girls are definitely one of the top girls to consider if you want to date someone who is special, bubbly and active and, simply put – AMAZING.

They will surely open you to a new world that you may not have considered before and bring some flavor to your life. 

When you manage to get their trust and love, you will not regret getting to know them and being with them. They will also show their love to you in more ways than one.

I hope that this guide helps you better understand the ladies in South Korea and removes some of the potential culture shock that’s to be expected.

If you have any stories or additional comments to make about Korean women, let us all know by sharing your thoughts below.