We’re not sure if it’s an Asian thing, but as we reach a certain age, we’re naturally expected to get married and have kids. These days though, marriage isn’t really a necessity anymore as more millennials are embracing being singles.
In a country like South Korea, getting married isn’t easy especially for celebrities. Their lives are dependable on their status. Apparently, for most Korean celebrities, being in a relationship could affect their popularity negatively. Hence, many of them end up lying about their status to maintain their economical benefits.
Having said that, some Korean celebrities have publicly stated that they’re comfortable living as a singleton and aren’t pressured to rush into marriage. Take a look:
Wonho
K-Pop idols have a beauty standard they need to adhere to. Male idols usually fall into the category of twinks. Not Wonho (이호석) though. The former Monsta X (몬스타엑스) idol is a massive hunk and always teases his washboard abs whenever he gets the chance! Girls want him and guys want to be like him.
But the muscular heartthrob has his own valid reasons for remaining single. He shared in the past that he doesn’t want to get married. Instead, he has his younger brother to carry on the family line. The 28-year-old idol stated, “I’m not interested in getting married. I’ve never thought about it. But my brother is going to get married and carry on the family line so I’m not too worried”.
Jung Hyuk
South Korean fashion model Jung Hyuk (정혁) is famously known for modelling under Esteem Models. At the age of 16, he started modelling seriously. He is currently promoting as a model and as a television personality. In August 2019, Jung Hyuk revealed that he refuses to get married due to trauma. He shared his heartbreaking story on the Korean talk show, “The Quack Philosophers”.
The model revealed that had to stay with his father after his parents got divorced. Jung Hyuk mentioned how his father was always busy making money and hardly paid any attention to him. He exclaimed, “I envied my friends who were able to be with their parents. I think because of those resentments, I decided I won’t marry in the future”.
Sunny (Girl’s Generation)
It’s hard to decide on marriage if you don’t even have a type, plan, or goal. Marrying someone on a whim can lead to regrets. Girl’s Generation (소녀시대) member Sunny (써니) has stated multiple times that she has no desire to marry anyone as she feels unsuited for marriage. She even jokingly said that she wasn’t “firm or wise enough to get married!”.
Jiho (Oh My Girl)
Privacy is a precious commodity especially to Oh My Girl (오마이걸) member Jiho (지호). The female K-Pop idol has stated that she has no thoughts on marriage and wants to live alone without being burdened by marriage.
Kim Hye-Soo
Famous veteran Korean actress Kim Hye-Soo (김혜수) has revealed that she doesn’t oppose the idea of being single. The 50-year-old actress stated, “It may be nice to live as a wife in the family, but it would be better if you live for yourself”. Being in a committed relationship before, Hye-Soo feels that her priorities have shifted over the years.
Kim Seo-Hyung
It’s no secret that some celebrities have spent their whole lives climbing up the career ladder and it’s no easy feat maintaining it especially if you’re a woman of certain age in showbiz. For Korean actress Kim Seo-Hyung (김서형), marriage has never crossed her mind as she is “already married to work”. Following her most iconic performance in the hit K-Drama series “Sky Castle” (SKY 캐슬), she’s had 2 projects out last year, and another 2 more this year.
Moon Geun-Young
Korean actress Moon Geun-Young (문근영) has always been very goal orientated. The 33-year-old previous stated that while she could probably still chase her dreams as a married woman she “would feel bad for [her] potential spouse and children” for being away too often.
Yeonwoo
Getting married and raising a family will require a lot financially. When she appeared in the popular variety show “Knowing Bros” (아는 형님), she expressed that she always dreamt of being a chaebol (a large industrial conglomerate said to be handled by a South Korean owner or family) when she was young.
When Super Junior’s (슈퍼주니어) Heechul (희철) suggested that her future kids could be chaebols instead, Yeonwoo stated she has no belief in marriage and is happy to be single. The former MOMOLAND (모모랜드) member even exclaimed how daunting it would be if she had to be responsible for her family’s finance.
Luda (Cosmic Girls)
It’s quite common to see celebrity couples filing for divorce these days. For Cosmic Girl’s (우주소녀) Luda (루다), she could easily avoid being another statistic on the rising divorce rates. In her opinion, marriage isn’t always permanent, “because there is no such thing as forever”. From her experience, all good things tend to come to an end. Perhaps Luda has been burned in the past and the scars are still fresh…
Jaejae
In January 2021, Jaejae (이은재) appeared on “Problem Child in the House” (옥탑방의 문제아들) to share her thoughts on marriage. JaeJae claimed she “never thought about marriage” and how “marriage is a choice given to us by society’s domain”. Often times, people tie the knot not out love, but to further each other’s status. That sort of arrangement hardly ends well, do they?
Yeeun (HA:TFELT)
Former Wonder Girl (원더걸스) member Yeeun (예은), who now goes by her solo name HA:TFELT (핫펠트), once shared:
“I don’t have the confidence to get married. I’ll have a happy married life if I meet someone who matches well with me. There was a time when I was younger that I tried really hard to find a good person, but I’ve given up now. I think of myself as more important and precious now. I think you shouldn’t date someone you feel you have to fix. A lot of people around me are getting married. It’s still too early to think about marriage. I have a lot that I want to do, and I want to focus on myself.”
Han So Hee
Playing the “other woman” who had an affair with a married man in the hit K-drama “The World of the Married” (부부의 세계) gave Han So Hee (한소희) a new perspective on marriage. She explains: “I don’t think I can get married. It’s not just because of adultery. Between the characters, Go Ye Rim and Son Jae Hyuk, there was suspicion, anxiousness, mistrust, and a sense of deprivation in their marriage. The drama portrays the detailed process of a family falling apart. I’m starting to wonder if I’ll ever be able to get married myself.”
