Pihon yŏsŏng – New Lifestyle and New Choices for Marriage and Unmarried Life in South Korea

Abstract

In recent decades, the term pihon has become widely used among young Koreans, and it actually refers to a growing tendency: more and more men and women choose not to marry, even if this goes against the traditional social norms and the expectations of society. There are social, economic and psychological factors that influence this decision. For Koreans in their 20’s it is not easy to find stable employment; thus they tend to marry later and to have their first child when they are already in their 30s. As for having children, we should note that the birth rate in South Korea is extremely low; something that the government too finds alarming. However, it is difficult to encourage young people to have more children, since uncertainty about employment, poor support for mothers, high tuition fees and gender roles all affect this life-changing decision. The pihon, people who choose not to marry, have a very different lifestyle: members of the group prefer to focus on their careers, their independent lives and their own way of living. It is interesting that society’s view is – albeit slowly – also changing, and this attitude is more and more widely accepted, even though the older generations would prefer the traditional family structure. Of course, singles have to face problems such as loneliness, but they tend to think of it as “convenient” rather than “sad”. There is a notable paradox in Korean society – traditional concepts are still powerful in the 21st century, but circumstances can no longer ensure the conditions to support them. This causes misunderstandings and a wide gap between generations.