By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Bachelorettes here are seeking a spouse with traits above the average bridegroom-to-be.
Bridal candidates want their spouses to be taller than 174 centimeters with an annual salary of 43 million won, matchmaking company Duo said.
Its recent survey on 639 men and women in their late 20s to early 30s showed that 91.7 percent of males and 83.7 percent of females want Mr. or Miss ``Average'' as their spouse.
However, what they called average is far from the norm in real life.
Most men seek a spouse who has a bachelors degree, is 160-165 centimeters tall, and makes 20 million to 30 million won a year. Women reported wanting a man who is a university graduate, 175-180 centimeters tall, and makes 40 million to 50 million won a year.
``The average male respondent wants a bride who is 162.6 centimeters tall with an annual salary of 28 million won. Women are searching for a husband who is 174.4 centimeters in height with annual income of 43 million won,'' said the company spokesman.
According to the National Statistical Office, the average Korean male gets married when he 32-33 years old. His average height is 173 centimeters and he earns 29 million won a year. Females get married when they are 28 years old. They are 161 centimeters in height and earn 21 million won yearly.
``It seems that many young people here think the word `average' means flawless, which is far from reality,'' the Duo spokesman said.
bjs@koreatimes.co.kr
