Splitting the bill evenly may be the default in many dating cultures, but a new survey out of South Korea suggests most singles there think that approach is unfair. Instead, daters overwhelmingly favor a lopsided arrangement that leans more on men.
The poll, published September 12, 2026, by Korean matchmaking agency Gayeon, surveyed unmarried men and women between the ages of 25 and 39 about what they spend on dates and how they believe the costs should be divided.
On average, a single date in South Korea costs about 115,000 won, or roughly $85, respondents said. But that figure masks a wide gender gap: men reported spending 145,800 won (about $108) per date on average, while women reported spending far less, 84,000 won (about $62) — a difference of nearly 62,000 won, or $46.
Most Singles Reject The Even Split
Asked what they considered the fairest way to divide dating costs, respondents did not rally around parity. On a 10-point scale, men said they should shoulder 5.96 points of the total on average, compared with 4.04 for women — a ratio close to six-to-four rather than the strict even split known in South Korea as "AA," a term borrowed from the practice of dividing bills equally.
The debate over who should pay is not unique to South Korea. Similar surveys and dating-app studies in Taiwan and Japan have found comparable friction over splitting the bill, suggesting the tension crosses borders even as the preferred ratio varies by culture.
Underpaid Partners Spark The Most Conflict
More than half of respondents, 55.7%, said they had never clashed with a partner over dating expenses. But 17.8% admitted they had, with men reporting friction slightly more often than women, 19.7% versus 15.9%.
Among those who had fought about money, the most common trigger was a partner paying too little or nothing at all, cited by 37.8% of respondents. Differences in spending habits and preferred date activities followed at 34.4%, while 18.9% pointed to a partner who insisted on an even split despite a clear income gap. Another 7.8% blamed disagreements over managing a shared dating fund.
Men And Women Clash Over Different Reasons
The survey also revealed a stark divide in what each gender considers the bigger problem. Among men, 48% named mismatched spending habits and date preferences as their top complaint, with only 36% pointing to a partner who contributed too little.
Women's frustrations ran the opposite direction. Forty percent said a partner who pays too little or nothing at all is their biggest gripe, while 30% cited a rigid insistence on splitting costs evenly even when incomes clearly differ.
Gayeon researchers said the split reflects different priorities: men tend to react more strongly to mismatched lifestyles and spending habits, while women focus more on whether the division of costs feels fair given the circumstances. The agency advised couples to have candid conversations early in a relationship about spending habits and how they plan to divide expenses, arguing that upfront honesty can head off bigger conflicts down the road.
Original Article In Chinese: https://www.storm.mg/article/11164068