Korea sees rise in couples with older wives
A bridal shop at a wedding venue in Seoul / Yonhap
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Marriages between younger Korean men and older Korean women accounted for just over 20 percent of first marriages last year, meaning roughly 1 in 5 couples consisted of a wife who was older than the husband.
The share of couples with an older husband, meanwhile, continues to decline annually. Over the past 15 years, it fell by 6.1 percentage points, while the proportion of couples with an older wife rose by 5.3 percentage points. Older wives are even more common among remarried couples.
The figures raise a question: Has age become less important to Koreans when considering marriage?
Older wives account for 1 in 5 first marriages
According to statistics released by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on Thursday, the wife was older in 20.2 percent of the 198,603 first marriages registered last year.
The proportion has risen steadily, from 14.9 percent in 2010 to 16.3 percent in 2015, 18.5 percent in 2020 and 19.9 percent in 2024, crossing the 20 percent mark for the first time last year. Over the same period, the share of couples of the same age edged up from 16.0 percent to 16.7 percent.
Over those 15 years, the proportion with an older wife increased by 5.3 percentage points, while the share with an older husband declined by 6.1 percentage points.
Why are more women marrying younger men?
The trend appears to come from more Koreans believing age does not matter when considering marriage or dating, as well as the fading traditional expectation that the man should be older than the woman. A prospective partner’s age is becoming less of a barrier to marriage.
Men’s increasing preference for a household with two incomes is also playing a role. As more women pursue careers, a growing number are taking the lead financially and socially. More men are placing greater weight on a woman’s capabilities than on her age.
From an older friend to a wife
Some men prefer older women, drawn to qualities they have not found in younger partners. Emotional stability and maturity are among the main attractions, along with the expectation that an older partner will offer care and understanding.
For some, the appeal lies in the warmth and familiarity of an older female friend. Relationships can begin with a man addressing a woman as "noona," a Korean term meaning “older sister” that is also used affectionately for an older female friend, before developing into romance. As their feelings grow, age becomes less relevant, and marriage can follow.
When feelings are mutual, age matters less
Older family members are also becoming more accepting of daughters-in-law who are older than their sons. While an age gap of 6 to 10 years can still give some pause, a gap of 5 years or less barely raises an eyebrow. Increasingly, the view is that age should not stand in the way when two people love each other.
As women’s participation in social and economic life expands, marriages between older women and younger men are expected to become more common. For women focused on their careers, their mid-30s can quickly give way to their late 30s. A man two or three years younger may hardly seem like a “younger man” anymore.
This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top health care and medical portal, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.