Dating in Korea: Gen Z divides exact costs to prevent relationship burdens
To an older generation that used to argue over the check, each insisting on paying for the group, Gen Z's habit of "1/N" — or splitting a bill and increasingly paying only for what you personally ordered — looks unfamiliar and hard-hearted. For young Koreans, settling the exact amount shows consideration and reason in their own way, as they refuse to leave the table owing anyone anything. It goes…
Dating customs in Korea have undergone a shift, particularly among Gen Z, who split the bill and often pay only for what they personally ordered. This practice, unfamiliar to older generations, is seen as a way to demonstrate consideration and fairness in relationships. For young Koreans, settling the exact amount shows a commitment to equity, preventing anyone from leaving the table owing someone else.
Participant 6 explains, "For the older generation, if five friends met, one would pay today and someone else would pay next time. Even without settling every time, over the long run, it came to roughly a fifth each. So I think it is why the older generation sees today s split-it-right-now approach as lacking human warmth."
Participant 5 counters, stating that, "Older people might see it that way, but our generation has always done it like this. If you meet enough times, everyone probably ends up paying about the same, but isn't it much cleaner to just finish it there and then?"
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
