In the face of rising wedding costs, more Koreans are reconsidering one symbol that has been a part of marriage for centuries: the wedding matching rings.

In a survey by matchmaking service Duo, Korean couples are expected to spend on average 360 million won (253,000 dollars) in wedding preparations between 2023 and 2024. This includes costs associated with the marriage home. Despite rising costs, many are looking to cut back, beginning with the rings. Many couples already have rings from earlier in their relationship.

Oh Ga-yeon (25 years old) said that it felt like an unnecessary formality. "We didn’t see the benefit of it."

Gayeon, a matchmaking company, conducted a survey that found couples spent on average 3.6 million won for their matching jewelry. However 10 percent of Koreans between the ages of 20 and 30 did not purchase these bands.

This generation has embraced rings at nearly all stages of a relationship, long before an engagement or a wedding.

Since Western weddings in Korea became popular in the 1970s it is customary to make rings twice. One for the bride and groom at the engagement, and then a second pair at the wedding. This ring tradition has grown over the years. Couples buy "couple ring" to celebrate their dating anniversary and "guard ring" to protect or accentuate their wedding bands. Due to this, the traditional meaning of wedding rings in the West has become diluted.

On the anonymous professional app Blind one user complained in a humorous way about what he perceived as a rising inflation of rings. I need to make a wedding ring as well as an engagement ring. Also, I'll have to get a guard-ring for my girlfriend. "What a waste of cash," read the post, along with a hand-drawn cartoon showing a finger adorned with six different rings.

The one ring still matters

For others, the wedding band remains a symbol that represents commitment and avowal despite how many rings came before.

"Of course, it is not a small amount," said Lee Jeongmin, a 24 year old future groom who was finalizing the preparations before his wedding in April. You can't simply give up your wedding ring.

Lee said that "engagement rings are mostly just for show - to boast on Instagram." "But the wedding band is the real deal." "It's a requirement."

Lee believes that wedding bands are a symbol of commitment and respect towards family.

"It's partly about the aesthetics and it's partly about showing to family members attending that you follow tradition," he said. "A marriage is a union of families."

Lee explained that, even if the rings were not worn every day, it was still a meaningful reminder of their wedding day.

Lee's view was echoed on the internet. Blind user replied to a comment on the price of wedding rings by saying that they had received rings made from gold, not diamonds. "You do not have to be afraid of tradition if you don't care what other people think."

'Meaningless spending'

Gayeon conducted a survey and found that 41.3 percent said they did not "see much meaning" in wedding rings. Another 23.9% said that they "would rather use the funds to cover other costs like buying a new home for newlyweds."

Kim Seongjoo (26-year-old lawyer) said he and his fiancee used the same rings to exchange their nuptials.

"I got married in June 2024, but we bought the rings when I was engaged." Kim explained that we only used these rings at our wedding in June 2024 because it was a short time since then. "I did not see the point in buying two rings in a span of one year."

Kim explained that many couples today opt for a single ring because diamond rings can be "uncasual" or "difficult everyday to wear".

Oh, yes, the bride to be agreed. "The current trend is to make one ring which you can use every day. This is like upgrading your couples ring.

"It was like we were spending money in a meaningless way. She added, "Why not spend the money on something that our parents will actually enjoy?

On social media, the sentiment is repeated. Blind user comments: "We did not buy a marriage ring, because we have a couple's ring."

"I did not get a marriage ring, and I used the money for our house." Another poster said, "I believe people should only do what they're capable of."