Korean Youth Most Uninterested in Dating Globally; 6 in 10 Women Show No Interest

South Korean youth are the most disinterested in romantic relationships among young people in five surveyed countries, with more than half of those aged 18-39 reporting they have no interest in dating. This finding highlights a significant trend in the country's younger demographic.

A survey conducted across South Korea, China, Japan, the United States, and Spain revealed that 55.4% of unmarried South Korean youth between 18 and 39 years old stated they are not interested in dating. This figure is the highest among the surveyed nations. Japan followed with 54.2% expressing similar disinterest, while the United States reported 35.8%, Spain 29.2%, and China 24.7%.

The study, which analyzed data from 8,242 young people, suggests that economic conditions play a crucial role in shaping attitudes toward dating. Factors such as employment status and income levels were found to significantly impact both the likelihood of having dating experience and the general interest in pursuing relationships among Korean youth. The research was conducted by Professor Kim Jo-eun's research team at the Graduate School of International Policy at KDI, with data collection in Korea, the US, and Spain by Qualtrics in May 2024, and in Japan and China by DataSpring Korea in July 2026.