From the olden times, there has been a saying all across Korea that men from the South make the best looking grooms (shin lang) while women from the North make the most beautiful brides (shin pu). Historically, the neighboring countries of Asia, especially China, perceived Korea as a 'country of courteous people in the East.' This epithet says something about the Koreans' traditional esteem for decorum, courtesy and propriety. Indeed, it is certainly true to say that Koreans are known to be very polite and friendly, and their hospitality is internationally acclaimed.
Professional matchmakers paired up likely candidates for marriage, with the new couple often meeting for the first time at their wedding! The families considered many factors in the decision, consuting with fortune tellers for predictions about the couple's future life together. During the Chosun period, people married in their early teens, with the girl often being several years older than the boy.
Family Wedding Traditions
Before a Korean bride may be married, she must take part in the traditional Introduction ceremony, where she is accepted into the groom's family.
After the Korean newlyweds have exchanged their wedding vows, the groom, formally,
introduces his new wife to his parents. The groom's father may throw red dates at his daughter-in-law to bring her luck in fertility.
Important Korean Symbols A couple getting married in Korea might incorporate ducks or geese into their wedding ceremony. Both ducks and geese mate for life and represent faithfulness.
At one time, a man who wanted to get married in Korea, would travel to his future bride's home on a white pony and present her family with a pair of geese.
The groom usually traveled to the house of the bride for the ceremony, then stayed there for 3 days before taking his new bride to his family's home. The actual ceremony involved many small rituals, with many bows and symbolic gestures. The participants were expected to control their emotions and remain somber.
A nation's traditional marriage ceremony is an embodiment of the country's traditional and cultural values. The traditional Korean wedding is no exception. The ceremony previously known for its complex ceremonial gestures has since been simplified and now takes place in a very condensed fashion. Because the wedding took place in the yard of the bride's house, the open space allowed many well-wishers to gather and celebrate the new union with a wedding feast. While a modern, westernized wedding ceremony makes it hard for anyone not specifically invited to take part in the joyous occasion, a traditional wedding leaves room for anyone to stop by and celebrate.
Family surnames are considered to be a very powerful lineage in Korea. Women do not change their ancestral surnames after marriage.
