Match Group Expands Pairs App to South Korea

Match Group has officially launched its serious dating app, Pairs, in South Korea as part of a broader strategy to tap into shifting relationship expectations in the region. Operated by Eureka, a Match Group subsidiary, Pairs is designed to support users looking for meaningful, long-term relationships, with a focus on values rather than surface-level traits.

As confirmed by Korean news sources, Pairs launched last week on the 17th. This comes after its South Korean shutdown last year, which led to the platform seeing major success in the Japanese market instead.

The rollout follows a company-commissioned survey of South Koreans aged 25 to 34, which revealed a strong demand for deeper connections. Among those surveyed, 91% cited difficulty in finding like-minded partners as a primary challenge in dating. Additionally, more than half of respondents who had used dating apps before reported feeling judged based on income or physical appearance, something that Pairs challenges by focusing more on lifestyle.

As part of this focus, Pairs incorporates an AI-based feature called “Real Mind Matching.” The system recommends potential partners based on answers to 10 private questions covering relationship and lifestyle values, such as views on parenting, communication styles, and personal expression. These responses are not visible to other users, allowing for more honest engagement and compatibility-driven matches.

The app’s algorithm also learns from user activity and past matches, updating partner suggestions daily. In addition to its matching tools, Pairs prioritizes safety through the PASS authentication system, which verifies user identity before allowing access. Community standards are enforced by a combination of artificial intelligence and human moderation, with features like content removal, user bans, and profile privacy controls available to maintain trust and safety.

The app, which has surpassed 20 million registrations globally since its inception in 2012, is now available in South Korea on both iOS and Android for verified users aged 19 and older. Its previous operations on South Korea lasted for seven years before the temporary shutdown, but if Pairs succeeds, it may finally be here to stay.