South Korea’s Dating App Market Continues to Grow

South Korea’s online dating market is expanding rapidly, driven by changing attitudes toward dating, longer working hours and growing demand for higher-quality matches. Valued at $264 million in 2024, the market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5% between 2025 and 2035 due to a steady shift in how Koreans meet new people.

The growth comes at a time when marriage rates continue to decline. The number of marriages in South Korea fell from 322,000 in 2013 to 222,000 in 2024, while the country’s fertility rate remained one of the lowest in the world at 0.75 births per woman. At the same time, more adults are remaining unmarried, with changing lifestyles and demanding work schedules leaving less time for traditional ways of meeting potential partners.

Despite these trends, interest in dating itself remains strong. Many younger Koreans are increasingly joining hobby groups, sports clubs and social communities to meet people organically. Dating apps have also become more widely accepted, particularly among the country’s MZ Generation, who now view them as a normal way to build relationships.

Local platforms have responded by prioritising curation over volume, with many using features like limited matches or approval processes that don’t require photos. However, traditional approaches to dating and matchmaking also remain popular because of their privacy and background check features, with international platforms like Tinder also changing their approach for the SK market to appeal to the unique demands of that audience.