October 21, 2025
SEOUL – As wedding costs continue to climb, more Koreans are rethinking one of marriage’s most enduring symbols: the wedding rings.
A recent survey by matchmaking agency Duo found that Korean couples spent an average of 360 million won ($253,000) on wedding preparations — including costs associated with the marital home — in 2023 and 2024. As expenses rise, some are cutting back where they can, starting with the rings, which many couples may already have from earlier stages of their relationships.
“It felt like a formality, and like we were needlessly spending more money,” said Oh Ga-yeon, a 25 year-old bride-to-be. “We didn’t see the use of it.”
A separate survey by matchmaking service Gayeon found that couples spent an average of 3.6 million won on their wedding bands, but approximately 10 percent of Koreans in their 20s and 30s no longer purchased them.
For this generation, rings have become a part of nearly every stage of a romantic relationship — way before engagement or wedding.
Since Western-style weddings became popular in Korea in the 1970s, it has been customary to prepare rings at least twice: one for the bride-to-be at engagement and a pair for the wedding ceremony. But over time, that ring culture has expanded. Couples now often buy “couple rings” to mark dating anniversaries and “guard rings” to protect and accentuate wedding bands. As a result, the special meaning traditionally attached to wedding rings, as seen in the West, is becoming diluted.
On anonymous professional app Blind, one user humorously complained about what could be seen as rising ring inflation. “I have to prepare a wedding ring, an engagement ring and something called a guard ring (for my girlfriend)? What a waste of money,” the post read, alongside a humorous hand-drawn diagram depicting a finger burdened by six different rings.
For some, despite all, the wedding ring remains essential as a symbol of commitment and avowal, regardless of how many other rings may have come before.
“Of course it’s no small sum,” said Lee Jeong-min, a 24-year-old future groom finalizing preparations ahead of his wedding in April. “But, you can’t just give up on the wedding ring.”
“Engagement rings are mostly for show — to brag on Instagram,” Lee said. “But, the wedding ring is the real deal. It’s a must.”
Lee views wedding bands as a symbol of respect for family and a token of unwavering commitment.
“It’s partially about the aesthetics, and it’s partially about showing to your attending family members that you follow traditions,” he added. “A wedding is a union between families.”
Lee added that even if they do not wear the rings every day, they are meaningful mementos of their special day.
Lee’s views were echoed online. “We got rings that were made of gold and not diamonds,” said a user on Blind to a comment that wedding rings were overly pricey. “You don’t have to fear traditions if you aren’t weary of what other people think.”
According to the survey conducted by Gayeon, 41.3 percent of those who did not buy wedding bands said that they “did not see much meaning in wedding rings.” Another 23.9 percent said they would “rather use the money to cover other costs, like buying a newlywed home.”
Kim Seong-joo, a 26-year-old judge advocate who tied the knot in 2024, said that he and his fiancee got matching rings for their engagement and used them again when exchanging nuptials.
“I got engaged in July 2023, and we bought our engagement rings then. We just used those rings during our ceremony because we got married in June 2024, and not a lot of time had passed,” said Kim. “I didn’t see much meaning in getting two different rings in the span of a year.”
Kim said that because diamond rings are not very “casual” and are “difficult to wear every day,” many couples these days opt for one simpler ring.
Oh, the previous bride-to-be, agreed. “The trend these days is to prepare one ring that you can wear together on a day-to-day basis. It’s just like upgrading your couple ring.”
“It felt like we were meaninglessly splurging. We thought, ‘Why not use the money to get something for our parents that they would actually like?’” she added.
The sentiment is echoed on social media. “We didn’t buy a wedding ring because we had a couple ring,” a Blind user commented.
“I didn’t get a wedding ring and used the money when buying our house. I think people should just stick to what they are capable of,” another post read.