What are Korean Men Like - Dating Guys from Korea

Korea is a country with a rich heritage of art and culture. It is proud of its distinctive way of life and at the same time it is forging ahead in the fields of science and technology. So if you are a woman and find yourself in this amazing land, here are a few pointers on what Korean men are like.

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Rather shy

Like all traditional Asian cultures, Korean culture also holds that love and attraction are private emotions and best kept in check. Thus when meeting Korean men in a social context, you may not find them very forthcoming or willing to take the initiative. While they are unfailingly polite, it may be something of an ordeal for a Korean guy to ask a woman for her phone number, particularly if she is pretty and outgoing herself. Indeed things become even more difficult when the woman in question is non-Asian since this makes Korean guys even more shy and diffident.

Curious about non-Asian women

Once they get over their initial shyness, you will find that Korean men will want to ask you out or just try to know you better. To some extent this could be out of curiosity about foreign, especially western, women. Some guys will be genuinely interested in you as a person, some will want a girlfriend to practice English with and some will view you as a trophy. These are not unusual impulses in cases of inter-racial dating all over the world; so when a Korean guy asks you out, go ahead with the expectation of having fun rather split hairs about the real intention of asking you out.

Small gestures of affection

For all this shyness, if your Korean male friend is romantically interested in you, he will make it evident in numerous small ways. You can probably expect flowers or little gifts like a trinket or a porcelain figurine. He'll take you places, help you shop and delight in acting as your translator-on-call. He may not be able to woo you in the sophisticated manner of a French beau or sweep you off your feet in Latino style but he'll be there for you in every way that he can.

Tech-savvy

Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is ranked as the world's "leading digital city" and its people are known to be highly tech-savvy. South Korea is also among the world's most technologically advanced and digitally-connected countries; it has the third most broadband Internet users among the OECD countries and is a global leader in electronics, digital displays, semiconductor devices and mobile phones. Thus you can expect your Korean male friend to be comfortable fiddling with the latest gaming devices and electronic gadgets. He could be a godsend if you are still trying to figure out the twenty-six functions on your dishwasher or hoping to install the latest anti-virus software on your computer. Indeed this hi-tech culture of Koreans has been instilled due to decades of government incentive to industries related to electronics and engineering as well as large resources earmarked for research and development. The country has especially made a name for itself in super specialized engineering like robotics and radioactive isotope production equipment for medical as well as industrial uses.

Quite conservative

Despite such strides in science and technology, Korea remains quite a conservative country as far as social and cultural dynamics are concerned. Women here have been traditionally expected to look after the house and raise children instead of taking an active part in public life. Even now when things are changing and women are more empowered than before, gender-specific norms and roles continue to hold sway. Thus if you are used to living independently or come from a culture with egalitarian values, you may find it difficult to agree with the attitudes of Korean men.

Even if you find a Korean man to your liking, you need to consider whether you would be willing to have a serious relationship with him. For one thing, you can be pretty sure that the love of your life hasn't told his parents that you exist, or if he has, he has told them that you are his English teacher. Koreans tend not to introduce their dates to their parents unless they are planning to marry. And when the partner in question is a foreigner, things can get pretty complicated. It is still quite difficult for Korean parents to accept that their beloved child wants to settle down with a non-Korean. Indeed, if your boyfriend is the oldest son, or worse yet, the only son, be prepared for many arguments and lots of tears.

Cook up a storm

However if you are determined to hold on to your Korean boyfriend, a great way to impress him would be through your culinary skills. Korean men are great foodies and sure to love someone who can make magic in the kitchen. So get hold of the recipes of a couple of Korean dishes like kimchee soup and miso stew and cook for him. Even if you don’t get them right at the first instance, your boyfriend is sure to be impressed by the time and effort to you devoted to make something special for him. In fact cooking Korean food could help in another way. To an unaccustomed nose, some Korean dishes smell rancid. Korean people are pretty self-conscious about this and are usually concerned that non-Koreans would not understand their eating habits. So if you cook a particularly distinctive Korean dish for your guy, he would realize that he doesn’t have to be self-conscious around you about the type of food he likes. And that will go a long way towards you both getting comfortable with each other.

Long term plans

Your Korean boyfriend may take some time to decide about you and may even have to deal with a conservative family. But if he is genuinely interested in you, don’t be surprised if he decides to pop the question. Koreans tend to marry quite early, usually by their mid-30s and once your guy decides you are one for him, you may find yourself looking at an engagement ring.