Korea Singles dating service

For many Koreans dating is with one thing in mind: marriage. This is true for both parties, it seems. Upon meeting single Koreans (guys and gals), especially since I am married, I invariably get the request to introduce them to some nice person. It's quite flattering at first, but then you get to notice a pattern here.

Koreans are often introduced by friends, relatives and (in rarer cases now) matchmakers. They are so busy studying (when they're younger) and working (when they're older) that they have little chance to mix-and-mingle--and when they do go out on the town it is usually in same-sex groups or with relatives or co-workers (which, it seems, are off-limits).

If a date is one-on-one it is called a so-gay-ting (weird name) and if double ot triple dating it's called a mee-ting. Before a first date (or 5 minutes into one) each party will likely know the other's (i) graduation year and school (and job and title), (ii) birthday, (iii) family and religious background (including father's job), and likely (iv) salary and (v) goals. This is one of the few areas that Korea is extremely efficient in.

They usually meet at a trendy cafe and exchange vital information. After that, if things go well, future dates ensue. If not, that is it. Very matter-of-fact (and rather an oddity here, given Koreans penchant for high emotion--e.g., football matches). Parents then, usually, cover the wedding and help set up the couple and off they go to make a family.

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Some fiancees think they might want to get married, but are not 100% certain, and need more time to get to know each other or to adjust to the new country. The fiancee may qualify for a visitor visa if the intention is not to get married in the USA (but to come and go and get married in another country, to return again on an immigrant visa). However, by applying for a K-1, the foreign fiancee may be much more open about their intentions since the purpose of the visa is to allow a foreign citizen to remain in the United States for 90 days to get married, with the idea of living and working legally after marriage. If the intent to marry is made clear enough, and something does happen that makes the couple decide not to marry, then the fiancee may leave the country without repercussions. However, in the case that the couple marry after entry on another type of temporary visa, there are some penalties under the law. In many cases the marriage will be upheld and immigrant status granted to the foreign spouse, but sometimes the foreign spouse risks being deported. Limitations have also been put into place to discourage marriage by visitors on other visas. For example, a K1 visa may not be issued to a recent student visitor (to discourage foreigners being students merely for the purpose of meeting US spouses). Though the K1 visa may take more time in planning, it minimizes risks that wedding plans will be scuttled at the last moment by a denial of admission.