"I'd Buy a Home Rather Than Spend 16 Million Won on Guests' Meals"... People in Their 20s and 30s Ditch Wedding Halls and Funeral Viewing Rooms

Average contract amount for wedding venues and studio, dress and makeup services: 21.12 million won
Prioritizing the couple's wishes over cost and format

As the median per-person meal cost at wedding venues in Seoul has risen to 80,000 won and the average contract price for a wedding venue, studio, dress, and makeup has topped 21 million won, skipping the ceremony—a trend known as “no wedding”—is emerging as an alternative. Funerals are also changing in scale and form, with more families choosing to say goodbye to the deceased privately without setting up a viewing room for mourners.

With the median per-person meal cost at wedding venues in Seoul rising to 80,000 won and the average contract price for a wedding venue, studio, dress, and makeup topping 21 million won, skipping the wedding ceremony is emerging as an alternative. The Asia Business Daily

Yonhap News Agency reported on October 13 that the trend toward reducing traditional rites of passage is gaining ground. It goes beyond small weddings, which simplify ceremonies by reducing the number of guests, to include skipping conventional wedding ceremonies altogether. One Instagram user featured by Yonhap said, “My husband and I decided not to have a wedding and to save the money to buy a home,” explaining that it was a decision made with the future in mind.

Rising wedding costs prompt couples to skip ceremonies; funerals also become more family-centered

The financial burden is reflected in the figures. According to a report published on October 12 citing Champrice, the Korea Consumer Agency’s comprehensive price information portal, the average contract price for wedding venues and studio, dress, and makeup services nationwide for ceremonies in October 2026 was 21.12 million won, up 1.66 million won (8.5%) from 19.46 million won in the same month last year. The average contract price for wedding venues rose 11.3%, from 16.06 million won to 17.88 million won.

By contrast, the average contract price for studio, dress, and makeup services fell 4.7%, from 3.4 million won to 3.24 million won. While photography, dress, and makeup costs declined, the increase in venue costs was larger, raising the overall burden. Meals account for the largest share of wedding expenses. According to Champrice statistics on average contract prices by region for August 2026, meals accounted for 13.58 million won, or 61.4%, of the nationwide average wedding service cost of 22.13 million won. This figure is the average total cost of meals for guests and is distinct from the per-person meal cost.

Financial considerations are not the only reason. Some couples also want to reduce the time and emotional strain involved in gathering with friends to hand out wedding invitations, managing guests, and coordinating wedding gifts and family gifts. The belief that they can start their married life on their own terms without burdening acquaintances with congratulatory cash gifts is also influencing the choice to forgo a wedding. The Asia Business Daily

In August 2026, the median per-person meal cost was 60,000 won nationwide, 80,000 won in Seoul, and 62,000 won in the Gyeongin region. In Seoul, it rose by 3,000 won (3.9%) from 77,000 won a year earlier, while in the Gyeongin region it increased by 2,000 won (3.3%) from 60,000 won. The nationwide median was unchanged from the previous year, highlighting the rise in the Seoul metropolitan area. Costs also varied considerably by meal type. A Korea Consumer Agency survey published in February 2026 found that the average per-person meal cost was 119,000 won for a set-course meal, 62,000 won for a buffet, and 55,000 won for a traditional Korean meal served on an individual table. When comparing wedding costs, it is important to consider the minimum number of guests guaranteed under the contract, as well as the per-person meal price.

Using Seoul’s median per-person meal cost of 80,000 won, a simple calculation puts the meal bill at 16 million won for 200 guests and 24 million won for 300 guests. These amounts do not include venue rental, decorations, or studio, dress, and makeup services. Under contracts that set a minimum guaranteed number of guests, couples may have to pay for meals for that number even if fewer people attend. These wedding service costs cover items such as the venue and studio, dress, and makeup services. They do not represent the total funds needed to prepare for married life, including a newlywed home and household furnishings.

Reducing financial and social burdens to focus on family

Financial considerations are not the only reason. Some couples also want to reduce the time and emotional strain involved in invitation gatherings, managing guests, and coordinating wedding gifts exchanged between the couple and their families. The belief that they can start their married life on their own terms without burdening acquaintances with congratulatory cash gifts is also influencing the choice to forgo a wedding. A similar trend toward simpler arrangements is emerging in funeral practices. A funeral without a viewing room is one in which no separate room is set up to receive mourners, and the necessary procedures, including the placement of the deceased, preparation of the body, departure for the crematorium, and cremation, are handled primarily by the family. It is an option for reducing the burden of room rental and hosting mourners while focusing on remembering the deceased.

According to Yonhap News Agency, there were 25,045 funerals without a viewing room nationwide in 2025, about 60% more than the 15,672 recorded in 2021. Their share of all funeral home services also rose over the same period, from 5.9% to 7.1%.

Many respondents also wanted changes to funeral practices. A survey by the Korea Funeral Guarantee Cooperative found that 52.4% of respondents believed traditional funeral practices needed to change. In a 2024 survey that cited the average funeral cost in 2015 at approximately 13.8 million won, 78.9% said the expense was burdensome. Photo by Jo Yongjun

Many respondents also wanted changes to funeral practices. A survey by the Korea Funeral Guarantee Cooperative found that 52.4% of respondents believed traditional funeral practices needed to change. In a 2024 survey that cited the average funeral cost in 2015 at approximately 13.8 million won, 78.9% said the expense was burdensome. Congratulatory and condolence money have served as forms of mutual aid, allowing people to share in one another’s joys and sorrows while easing financial burdens. However, some people now see them as a cost and burden of maintaining relationships, as they feel obligated to mark life events even for acquaintances with whom they rarely keep in touch.

Experts see these changes as the result of cost-cutting and shifting values coming together. Lee Hong-joo, a professor in the Department of Consumer Economics at Sookmyung Women’s University, told Yonhap News Agency that they reflect a tendency to prioritize the satisfaction of oneself and one’s family and to spend on what matters. Ham Inhee, an emeritus professor in the Department of Sociology at Ewha Womans University, also explained that rituals once strongly associated with public life are becoming private occasions for sharing meaningful moments with those close to us.

Some have also noted the need to take care not to exclude people who should be informed when simplifying rituals. Professor Ham suggested that even when ceremonies are scaled back, people should make sure to notify those who need to know and take steps to mitigate any unintended consequences.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.