You can get Korean citizenship by marrying a Korean. Foreigners can get an F-2-1 visa for one year after marriage with a Korean citizen. One year of residence may extend from a minimum of one year to a maximum of two years.
A foreigner who wants to marry a South Korean citizen must produce the following documents: Evidence of identity and nationality - both birth certificate and passport. Affidavit of Eligibility for Marriage - issued and notarised by the consulate of the home country.
Marriage in South Korea is currently restricted to unions between individuals of the opposite sex as same-sex marriages remain unrecognized. Males over 18 and females over 16 years old may marry with their parents' or guardians' consent.
As briefly mentioned above, you can seek citizenship through simple naturalization if you're married to a South Korean citizen. However, you must have maintained your marriage status for the past two or more years, and you'll need to meet all the other criteria listed before you're granted citizenship.
Most Koreans are against their first son marrying a foreigner. It has been said that they have to continue the family line by marrying a Korean. Therefore, the trend of having a multicultural relationship in Korea is not normalized.
Who Pays for a Korean Wedding? In Korea, it is customary for the groom's family to pay for the wedding. This includes the cost of the venue, food, and other expenses. The bride's family usually pays for her wedding dress and other incidentals.
Marriage in Korea is a civil procedure, so a religious ceremony, while often more meaningful, does not create a legal marriage. Although marriage statutes in the U.S. differ from state to state, a marriage performed in Korea under the Korean law is recognized in all states.
An age gap of 12 years is significant in Korean culture because it means that the couple is a full zodiac cycle apart.
No Exchanging of Vows or Rings
Korean weddings do not have exchanging of vows or rings like westernized wedding ceremonies. Another difference is the bride and groom do not kiss, when announced as husband and wife. Weddings in Korea are very conservative.
In Korea, it is a common standard to be a homeowner before getting married, but house prices are rising day by day, making it more difficult for young people.
You might be surprised, but Koreans say “I love you” pretty quickly. If you're not ready to say that, you can always say “좋아해 (joahae)” or “I like you”. Or, “나도 (nado)” to mean “me too”.
Traditionally, Korean would-be-grooms proposed to their sweethearts by sending a letter — to her parents. For modern-day Koreans, the norm is generally that the couple come to a mutual agreement to be wed.
A ring on the ring finger is a sign of love and commitment. A ring on your index finger represents friendship. Many older couples don't wear wedding bands and it is usually the younger couples who choose to wear couple, engagement, or wedding rings. Diamonds were not traditionally used in Korean jewellery.
Westerners may find living in South Korea challenging. The culture is different, and the language barrier can be significant, particularly with older Koreans. Foreign residents tend to socialize largely with other foreigners. Seoul is crowded, and living quarters are small compared to Western accommodations.
The ceremony is quick, and usually never lasts longer than one-half hour. After the vows are spoken, and the wine is finished, the family and guests will participate in a simple meal.
Kadambari and Gunwoo Park. Kadambari and Gunwoo are an interracial married couple who live and run their own business of trading and consultancy in India (Gurgaon, Haryana).
The divorce rate in South Korea in 2021 was two divorces per 1,000 inhabitants, slightly lower than the value of 2.1 in the previous year.
The Bride + Groom's Attire
Together, the energy is balanced. Red dots the size of coins are painted on the bride's cheeks to ward off evil spirits. Today, many Korean American brides opt to wear white and might change into a traditional dress, called a hanbok, for certain ceremonies of the day.
About 20 percent of South Korea's population of 49.3 million (2015 est.) has the family name Kim. That's about 10 million people. Lee is the second most common name, and Park (or Pak) is the third. All told, about 45 percent of Koreans have one of these three names!