KoreaToday Gold Misses,Chwijip Tribes Thrive
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Are marriage and romance still alive in Korea, where all anyone talks about is the economic slump, making money or getting promotions?
Birthrate has been decreasing every year ― it barely surpassed one birth per couple in 2008, according to the National Statistical Office. Among them, the number of 30-somethings getting married for the first time and having their first baby is soaring.
Much of these phenomena stems from a particular "breed" of women.
'Gold Miss'
Thirty-five-year-old Kim is not married. She has a bright career as an interpreter, so she doesn't have to worry about making a living too much, and is told frequently that she is quite pretty.
She has been working for more than eight years, which has allowed her to build her credibility among people. She focused on work during the workdays and leisure and hobbies during her free time. She had several boyfriends but marriage was always something that she didn't take seriously.
From the Korean conventional perspective, she could be labeled a spinster, or an "Old Miss."But these days, she is referred to with slightly different terminology ― a "Gold Miss."
According to the nation's largest matchmaking agency, Sunoo, a gold miss is a woman with a good family name who has graduated from a top-class university, and has her own house and a car to drive. She has a high-salary job and is beautiful - but is without a boyfriend.
"There are quite a few these days,"Sunoo promoter Song Ji-young said. Her company assumes gold misses represent up to 30 percent of unmarried women in Korea in their 30s.
The characteristics apply to Kim. It has not been long since she thought about getting married and settling down.
"I never disliked men or said I would stay single forever. I never thought of when I would get married, but I have never thought that I wouldn't get married either," she said, laughing.
Choi said the emergence of the gold miss stems from the change of perception among women toward marriage. "They do not think marriage as a responsibility as their parents did. They think it is another step in life that will make them happy. Therefore, even if they do want to get married, they will not simply run to the altar should there be any love or real happiness involved," Choi said.
Some think TV dramas and movies have affected the sudden surge in gold misses.
The U.S. cable smash-hit "Sex and the City" portrayed women over the age of 30 with professional status who enjoy casual dates and nightlife. They prefer expensive shoes to men and do not dream about settling down just because others do. At the end of the series, however, all four Manhattan girls settle down with their "the one," sending a hopeful message to women still lingering between conventional marriage and their desire to win successful positions in the workplace.
The Korean movie "Singles" also portrayed women struggling to have fancy careers while having "fun relationships" as opposed to marriage.
"It certainly boosted women's self-esteem to a certain point where women can have both careers and love whenever they want," promotion company Cheil Worldwide's brand marketing institute stated in a report.
Gold misses are quite positive about their futures. Despite her parents' and relatives' concerns that she may never be able to get married because she has passed a "golden age," interpreter Kim believes she can. "I am starting to look for the one," she said.
Kim is hoping she'll find a man who is within three years of her own age, has a stable job, is humorous, intelligent and most of all, attractive. "Do you think I am hoping for too much? I don't think so," she said.
However, experts think it may take a lot of time and effort for her to find her match. Matchmakers say such conditions are exactly the same as those of other gold misses. Most of them prefer men who have equal or better backgrounds and conditions, Choi Sung-hee of Sunoo said. "However, I'd have to admit that it is quite hard to find one in the matchmaking market," she added.
'Chwijip' Tribes
While gold misses consider marriage as an option, there is another breed of bachelorettes emerging from behind. They are the "Chwijip" tribes, a compound of the Korean word "chwijik" (getting hired) and "shijipgada"(a woman getting married.)
They consider getting married to men with steady income, high social status and good looks as the best shortcut to happiness. Instead of trying to get a job and achieve careers by themselves, they consider a high-profile husband to be their greatest achievement.
Sunoo spokeswoman Song also acknowledged the trend. The company tripled its number of female clients between 20 and 26 years old in just six months earlier this year. Their portion also jumped from 2.31 percent to 5.86 percent last year.
It was the same with another matchmaking agency, Duo. Their number has risen six-fold in just three years, the company spokesman said. "These young women are scared of the fierce competition society has in store for them at the moment. They think having a home and a stable marriage life would be better," the Duo spokeswoman said.
The Chwijip tribe's largest strength is their youth. Twenty-four-year-old Shin Ji-youn admits she belongs to the group. "If I get the right guy, I am considering marrying him right away. I don't really think struggling at workplaces is the best life." She majored in nursing at university, but said she wouldn't be too sad if she doesn't get a job. "I have realized that a homemaker is not a bad job either," she smiled.
So will Kim and Shin meet the Mr. Right and tie the knot?
Choi Sung-hee says both have the chance.
"If Kim gives up a few conditions, such as high income or being the same age as she is, I think it is possible - some men who have rather humble backgrounds do like women who are more competitive," she said.
She said a 33-year-old gold miss has recently set a date with a man from the countryside. "She gave up a fancy background and there came the white knight," she said.
For Shin, the chances are higher. "Men do like younger women; it's something they cannot change," she said.
She cited a 23-year-old university senior being engaged to a 33-year-old man whose father runs a mid-sized company in Seoul. "But many men prefer working women who can guarantee a double income. I suggest Shin get a job, too," she said.