STUDENTS at two South Korean universities are being offering courses that make it mandatory for them to date their classmates as the country battles to reverse one of the lowest birth rates in the world.
Seoul’s Dongguk and Kyung Hee universities say the courses on dating, sex, love and relationships target a generation which is shunning traditional family lives.
Many young people have given up on courtship, wedlock and childbirth because of economic pressures such as housing costs, unemployment and tuition fees.
The steep decline in marriage has given rise to the new term: the sampo generation.
Professor Jang Jae-sook, who founded a “Marriage and Family” course at Dongguk University, said students were being taught how to find the right partner and sustain healthy relationships.
Numbers Don’t Lie: CNN, MSNBC Ratings Flip Upside Down from Trump’s First Term to Trump 2.0
Happy New Year: Pentagon Ends 2025 with a Bang, Hits Narco-Terrorists Whose Drugs Will Not Kill Americans This Year
Bernie Sanders ditches iconic mittens look while swearing in socialist Zohran Mamdani as NYC mayor
London mayor denies removing Star of David from fireworks show
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Copies One of Trump’s Signature Policies
Mamdani vows to govern as ‘democratic socialist’ and embrace big government
At Least It Wasn’t Snakes: Disney Employee Injured After Errant ‘Indiana Jones’ Boulder Falls off Track
Inside Trump’s first-year power plays and the court fights testing them
Jack Smith Gives Telling Non-Answer When Asked the Key Trump Question During Deposition
Colorado Man Sentenced to Prison in Nationwide Child Sexploitation Scheme – Given 1 Year for Each of His 84 Victims
The road ahead for transit in New York City in 2026 includes fare hikes
5 big immigration changes taking effect across the US
China’s global aggression check: Taiwan tensions, military posturing and US response in 2025
Here are the top US cities Trump could target with National Guard deployments in 2026
White House race underway: With 2026 looming, both parties are already playing for 2028
She said: ”Korea’s fall in population has made dating and marriage important but young Koreans are too busy these days and clumsy in making new acquaintances.”
And as part of the course, students have to date three classmates for a month each.
Homework includes going on dates and discussing scenarios such as jealousy and conflict.
Ms Jang designed the curriculum to include dating in the belief that learning from real-life experience is as important as studying theory.
She said: ”Korea’s fall in population has made dating and marriage important but young Koreans are too busy these days and clumsy in making new acquaintances.”
Numbers Don’t Lie: CNN, MSNBC Ratings Flip Upside Down from Trump’s First Term to Trump 2.0
Happy New Year: Pentagon Ends 2025 with a Bang, Hits Narco-Terrorists Whose Drugs Will Not Kill Americans This Year
Bernie Sanders ditches iconic mittens look while swearing in socialist Zohran Mamdani as NYC mayor
London mayor denies removing Star of David from fireworks show
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Copies One of Trump’s Signature Policies
Mamdani vows to govern as ‘democratic socialist’ and embrace big government
At Least It Wasn’t Snakes: Disney Employee Injured After Errant ‘Indiana Jones’ Boulder Falls off Track
Inside Trump’s first-year power plays and the court fights testing them
Jack Smith Gives Telling Non-Answer When Asked the Key Trump Question During Deposition
Colorado Man Sentenced to Prison in Nationwide Child Sexploitation Scheme – Given 1 Year for Each of His 84 Victims
The road ahead for transit in New York City in 2026 includes fare hikes
5 big immigration changes taking effect across the US
China’s global aggression check: Taiwan tensions, military posturing and US response in 2025
Here are the top US cities Trump could target with National Guard deployments in 2026
White House race underway: With 2026 looming, both parties are already playing for 2028
And as part of the course, students have to date three classmates for a month each.
Homework includes going on dates and discussing scenarios such as jealousy and conflict.
Ms Jang designed the curriculum to include dating in the belief that learning from real-life experience is as important as studying theory.
The crude marriage rate – the annual number of marriages per 1,000 people – was 5.5 last year, compared with 295.1 when statistics began in 1970.
Seoul has spent about £50 billion trying to boost the birth rate.
Story cited here.
