Whether it's Baek Jin Hee and Yoon Kye Sang wearing matching bunny sweatshirts in "High Kick 3" or Lee Min Ho and Son Ye Jin donning matching pastel polo shirts in "Personal Taste," you may have seen a kdrama in which couples decide to dress alike. And you may have wondered whether this really happens in Korea.
It does happen. It's part of the way some couples show their affection for each other and let the whole world know they are dating.
In Korea, some say, love means matching clothes. The trend is so popular that some Korean department stores sell matching male/female outfits to simplify the shopping process.
What other cute things do couples do? If you have seen a couple exchanging rings on a kdrama, you might think that it is similar to giving someone an engagement ring or at the very least "going steady," but it usually works a little differently in Korea. It's a sign of commitment but it doesn't always mean you plan to marry.
Couple rings are often given on the hundredth anniversary of the day you started dating. In other parts of the world that might be considered early to be buying jewelry. Besides the hundredth anniversary of being a couple, there are more days that couples celebrate with gifts and activities. Koreans have adopted the European tradition of Valentine's Day but there it's usually girls that give men chocolate. That's why Ga Eul bought Yi Jung a Valentines' Day present in "Boys Over Flowers."
But aside from Valentine's Day, there's White Day on March 14, the day on which men give women candy. In contrast, on Black Day, April 14, single people hang out together and eat jjajangmyeon, the black noodle dish.
On Peppero Day, November 11, men give chocolate covered biscuit sticks known as pepperos to the girls they love. There is also Diary Day, Rose Day, Kiss Day and Silver Day, Green Day, Photo Day, Wine Day, Movie Day and Hug Day. As you might guess, roses are given, couples go to parks and movies, and couples kiss and give hugs to honor these occasions. And if that were not enough, Christmas is considered a special day for couples That's why it's considered sad to be alone on that day, especially if you are part of a couple. In "Mary Got Married," Mae Ri feels sorry for Jung In because he is alone and goes to his apartment to dine with him.
And if you wonder how it's possible to remember all these anniversaries between all the shopping you have to do for matching clothes and showing off your rings, there is apparently an app for that.
