Lovers living together before marriage, taboo or not?

Article: People in their twenties get honest about living together with their s/o before marriage

Source: Herald Econ via Nate

400 people in their twenties were interviewed on their views on living together with a partner before marriage (traditionally seen as a taboo since it's assumed that you're having regular sex with said partner before marriage and future partners might look down on that). The results were:

- I know someone who has lived with a lover 48.3%
- I think living together before marriage is necessary 40%
- Waiting to have sex until marriage is not necessary 49.5%
- I will permit my future children to live with their lovers before marriage 66.3%
- I think having experience living abroad has made me sexually more open
- experience living abroad in Asia 41.7%
- experience living abroad outside of Asia 52.2%
- 56.8% believe that it's an opportunity to learn more about your lover before marriage
- 20.1% believe it's an opportunity to experience marriage before the commitment

In an interview, a member of the survey team said, "Korean society still looks down on men and women in their twenties living together with their lovers before marriage but it's no longer such a taboo with the younger generation having a more positive expression on sexual conversations. People in their twenties have free will in the relationships they pursue and should have the responsibility to be able to live with their lovers if that is their decision."

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1. [+788, -115] Honestly, it's only good for the male in a situation where you're living together. A woman having experience living with another man before marriage will always be seen as a negative in her life.

2. [+746, -41] Living together is fine, just make sure you let your future wife or husband know that you have such a history. Don't fool them into thinking you don't.

3. [+608, -27] I bet the people with such experiences will be the ones looking for marriage partners without the experience.. tsk tsk

4. [+48, -4] Only do it if you can tell people that you are living with your lover confidently.

5. [+46, -19] But when the women with such experience get married, they suddenly become virgins ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

6. [+46, -8] What a joke, living together with your partner before marriage is the best way to ruin your life, especially for women. It becomes a huge scarlet letter on your life.

7. [+39, -5] Just don't ask about the past

8. [+35, -3] For women, having experience living with a partner is the biggest mistake she can make in her life ㅋㅋㅋ

9. [+32, -1] Anyone who is for this living together business better not hide it from whoever they end up getting married to. It's unfair to your partner if they don't have the experience and you do.

10. [+30, -9] Living together before marriage is honestly just for the man to get sex whenever he wants. I don't agree with living together just to see what their personalities are like before marriage.. people can change all the time once the commitment is made. Merely living together doesn't bring all the traits out in a person. Men end up okay if you break up but it's honestly over for the woman... it becomes a scar in her life.

11. [+29, -1] I find living together and marriage two very separate things...

12. [+29, -9] From a married man, let me just tell you that just because you find yourselves a good fit while living together doesn't mean you won't get into fights once you're actually married

13. [+23, -0] I don't care whether people live with their partners or not, as long as they're not involved with me

14. [+22, -1] It's the dumb kids who see foreigners doing it and think it'll work in our society too. Westerners have a very strong grasp of what it means to live together and they take a lot of responsibility when they commit to it. They also have de facto marriage laws. As for Korea, the relationship's over when you break up and society still looks down on it. I think people should only live together once we get a de facto marriage law as well.

15. [+18, -0] Get two things done and living together is okay. Get permission from your parents, and if you break up, make sure you tell your next partner.

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