We are getting a steady stream of membership inquiries every day. Our counseling schedule is fully booked.
The head of a marriage information company that specializes in Korea-Japan international marriages said this. The firm, which opened in 2024, connects only Korean Namsung and Japanese women. Among Japanese women, it accepts only those who are willing to live in Korea as members.
When a match is made, they arrange a video date accompanied by interpreters from both countries, and if both indicate they want to date, they proceed to an in-person meeting. They also offer Korean and Japanese language classes to members.
◇ Differentiation spreads amid competition in the marriage agency market
As the marriage information company (marriage agency) market grows and competition intensifies, more firms are adopting "pinpoint matching" aimed at clients seeking partners who meet specific conditions. Beyond introductions focused on high-earning professionals or graduates of elite universities, agencies specializing in "dolsing" (divorced men and women), by Christian denomination, and in international marriages with specific countries have also emerged.
However, as the number of firms surges, some note that people need to carefully scrutinize personal data protection and actual ability to achieve marriages.
According to the industry on the 25th, Marriage Agency A, which specializes in international marriages, accepts only male members. It connects them with women from 10 countries, from Japan, China, and Vietnam to Morocco and Uzbekistan. After applicants submit their preferred countries and ideal types, the company presents profiles of women who meet the criteria; if accepted, it arranges a video meeting.
Christian-specialized Marriage Agency B requires, when joining as a member, one copy of a "church bulletin" along with documents such as a marriage relation certificate and a graduation certificate. This is to confirm which church the person attends. Only after counseling with a couple manager is membership approval decided.
Remarriage-specialized Marriage Agency C asks at sign-up whether the person is bereaved, divorced, or in a common-law marriage. It sets the membership fee after comprehensively considering the circumstances during previous married life.
Value-added services offered by marriage agencies have also diversified. Some provide foreign language lessons focused on expressions commonly used while dating, or coaching on attire and blind-date etiquette before meetings. Some run wedding-prep academies for engaged couples who promised marriage through the agency.
◇ Marriage agency contracts jump 30% in two years
As agencies spring up everywhere, they appear to be pushing differentiation strategies. According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, as of the end of March this year there are 1,241 domestic and international marriage brokerage firms. That is about 100 more over the past five years.
Pinpoint-matching agencies tend to be relatively more expensive. For general agencies, five meetings typically cost 2 million to 3 million won. In contrast, pinpoint-matching agencies were about two to three times more expensive for international marriages due to added expenses such as document processing and interpreting services, and about 1.5 times higher for domestic marriages as well.
The number of people seeking agencies is also increasing every year. According to data the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family submitted to lawmaker An Do-geol of the Democratic Party of Korea, the number of marriage agency service contracts was 2,127 last year, up 32% (524 cases) from 2023. During the same period, the amount Samsung Card users spent at marriage agencies also rose 22.5%.
◇ Personal data protection capabilities and marriage success rates must be checked
However, the industry is also voicing concerns about personal data protection and service reliability. Recently, it was revealed that the information of about 430,000 members was leaked at Duo, the industry leader, prompting a police investigation. Reports say the leak included not only names, birth dates, and addresses but also sensitive data such as body information, religion, and education.
An industry official said, "Since even large firms have had security issues, you must check their information management systems before joining."
Some also say you need to assess actual capabilities beyond what agencies promote. Lee Young-ae, a professor of consumer studies at the University of Incheon, said, "You need to make your choice after comprehensively checking objective indicators such as the size of the agency's databases, its marriage success rate, and its refund policy."