Seola (Kim Hyun-jung, 김현정), a member of K-pop girl group WJSN (우주소녀), recently took on a reality challenge, visiting a marriage agency for a one-on-one consultation. She was reportedly surprised by her personal evaluation and, for the first time, openly discussed her true feelings about marriage, having children, and her future as a single woman in her 30s.
The YouTube channel "새고_F5" recently released the first episode of its web series, "What Do You Live For?" (literal title), titled "If an Idol Goes to a Marriage Agency | Do I Have to Get Married?". For the show, Seola even donned a wedding dress and visited a professional matchmaking agency in Gangnam, Seoul, for a one-on-one consultation with an advisor.
On her way to the consultation room, Seola remarked, "Women in their 20s and 30s have probably all thought about whether or not to go to a marriage agency. I wanted to know how someone with my background would be received."
The matchmaking advisor then outlined the agency's evaluation criteria, which include age, appearance, income, education, and family background. However, the advisor also emphasized that there isn't a fixed scoring system, and the ratings in the program were primarily for filming purposes.
When it was Seola's turn for evaluation, the advisor candidly stated that her appearance was "beyond discussion, definitely a perfect 5 points." Her assets received 4 points. Additionally, her age and family background each scored 4 points, but her education only received 1 point.
The advisor explained that parents' occupations and family environment are often considered important indicators for judging a child's personality, lifestyle, and financial values.
Notably, despite experiencing delayed income distribution early in her 10-year career, Seola diligently saved money, leading to a favorable evaluation of her assets for a woman in her 30s.
However, upon hearing her education score was only 1 point, Seola couldn't help but laugh at herself, saying, "Because I was so focused on music at the time, I... gave up on school." This brought laughter to the set.
The final comprehensive evaluation resulted in Seola receiving a "B-grade." Although she visibly breathed a sigh of relief after hearing the result, she couldn't help but laugh and say, "You can be more direct. I'll just cry myself to sleep when I get home." She tried to comfort herself while processing the blow.
The episode also revealed many intriguing insights into marriage agencies. The matchmaking advisor disclosed that one of the most common conditions requested by male members is for women to be "under 34 years old," primarily related to fertility. Once a woman's age exceeds 35, the available matching conditions and potential partners can significantly change.
As for the cost of joining a marriage agency, standard plans typically start from 3 million to 5 million Korean won. For those seeking partners with significantly higher qualifications than their own, or requesting VIP customized matching, fees can even exceed 10 million Korean won.
Additionally, to prevent identity fraud common in dating apps and cases of married individuals concealing their marital status, marriage agencies strictly verify member identities. They require original documents such as marriage certificates, family relationship certificates, and graduation certificates for verification.
After the consultation, Seola had dinner with the production team and candidly shared her true feelings about marriage and having children as a woman in her 30s. She admitted, "I haven't really thought deeply about marriage or having children. Later, I realized, does not seriously thinking about it mean I don't actually want it?"
However, seeing her older sister happily married has led Seola to consider different perspectives. She revealed, "Seeing my sister doing so well after marriage, I'm actually very envious. When I get a bit older, I think family might become a very powerful force and motivation in life."
Seola also confessed that after turning 30, she occasionally feels her life's motivation gradually decreasing. "If I get married, it feels like I would enter a new stage of life."
The program "What Do You Live For?" used Seola, an idol with 10 years in the industry, to portray the genuine struggles of a woman in her 30s facing marriage, singlehood, childbearing, and life direction, behind the glamorous facade of entertainment work.
Through the theme of "marriage agencies," the program not only unveiled the evaluation methods of Korea's matchmaking industry but also allowed Seola to frankly share her thoughts on her future, resonating with many viewers.
