Korea's low marriage rate continues to drop, but a large number of people, even teens in school uniforms, can be seen with rings on their left index finger.
couple rings can be used in Korea as a way to demonstrate commitment between romantic partners. The concept of getting couple rings early in a romantic relationship may sound strange to people who have never experienced it. However, for many Koreans this is a normal practice.
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One thing to keep in the back of your mind is that couple rings are completely informal. The rings serve as a way to celebrate reaching a certain relationship milestone. It's not the same as a Western engagement, in which someone offers an ring in exchange for their partner.
Who wears matching jewelry?
Due to their popularity, you can find a ring on almost any young couple's left ring. The ancient superstition that there was a vein directly connecting that finger with the heart has been debunked.
In Korea it is not unusual for a couple to decide on matching couple rings even after just a few weeks. These bands are commonly used to celebrate milestones like an anniversary or a 100th or a 200th day of marriage.
It's amazing how many teenagers today wear matching rings. Lee Ayeong, 18, who lives at Seo District in Incheon said, "It would be easier to distinguish couples that don't wear pair rings from those who do."
Couples older than 30 are more likely to be reluctant to wear couple ring because it can be misinterpreted to be a sign of impatience to get married.
Shim jae-won is a 31-year old teacher in Songpa District. He lives in the southern part of Seoul. He currently has a girlfriend who has been with her for 5 months.
"I've not worn couple rings in my past romantic relationships, as I haven't really liked them. Shim, who spoke to the Korea JoongAng Daily said that he would be willing to consider purchasing wedding rings at a later date. "I haven't seen other couples get wedding rings in their 30s either."
How does the couple rings system work? Does the system involve a wedding proposal?
In most cases no. In most cases, no.
Ye Minji, 24, who is a Cheongju office worker and lives in North Chungcheong has been with her college sweetheart since 2005.
"I said to him that I was interested in getting rings and suggested we go shopping together. Ye laughed.
Every step of the process, from the initial decision to the final purchase, can be done as easily as buying any other type of gift. You don't need an extravagant event or even an actual proposal.
