An hour of romance: How S. Korean kids date to escape 'mossol' tag
These '1-period couples' start dating during recess and end before the next class begins, Jang said in a recent TV appearance. Given that a single period in South Korean elementary schools is 40 minutes, these fleeting relationships last less than an hour.
Adults may wonder what these kids do during this time -- whether such brief relationships can even be called "real" -- and why they engage in them at all.
One of the primary motivators behind this dating trend is an eagerness to avoid the dreaded 'mossol' label, a Korean slang term for someone who has never been in a relationship, which directly translates to 'single since birth.'
To escape the label, some are engaging in brief, practically symbolic relationships, lasting as little as an hour, just to prove they have dated.
'You just give a note to a friend you like, saying, 'Do you want to go out with me?' and if he says yes, then we are girlfriends and boyfriends. Then we break up after the class ends,' said an 11-year-old student surnamed Kim.
'This way, I am no longer a person with no experience, and can say I have had a boyfriend to my friends,' she explained.
Asked about what she does when she has a boyfriend, or what a boyfriend means to her, she said they are 'a closer friend.' And they play hide-and-seek.
In South Korea, where relationships are often seen as a marker of social competence and normalcy, the fear of being a 'relationship virgin' has started to impact young children. These brief relationships act as a social shield, allowing children to feel included and accepted.
This stigma, combined with social media's relentless promotion of ideal relationships, has trickled down to the youngest members of society, pushing children into developing their own dating practices.
For example, confessions of affection are sometimes outsourced — students post messages on social media asking for volunteers to confess on their behalf. One posts something on social media like: 'I like someone. Can you guess who it is? I'll reveal it to the first person who comments.' Then, the first commenter conveys that romantic interest on behalf of the original poster.
'When my son explained this culture to me, I was stunned,' said 45-year-old Kim Joong-whan in an interview with The Korea Herald. ''Is this some kind of stand-in for real emotions?' I asked. It's shocking how what used to be a heartfelt, nerve-wracking moment of confession has turned into a playful online trend.'
To avoid the embarrassment of rejection, children have also adopted a strategy called 'janggo,' a Korean term short for 'confession joke.' If a romantic overture is declined, one can quickly backtrack by claiming it was just a joke and save face. This method has gained popularity among children as a way to protect feelings while testing the waters of a potential relationship.
Experts point to the pervasive influence of social media as a key factor driving these behavioral trends.
'Platforms are flooded with content that glamorizes relationships, from romantic confessions to curated couple aesthetics,' said Shin Kyung-ah, a sociology professor at Hallym University. 'This constant exposure influences children to emulate the behaviors they see, often without fully understanding the implications.'
Relationship-oriented terms such as 'ppoppo' (a peck on the lips or cheek), 'kiss' (typically used in a romantic, intimate context in Korean), 'skinship' (a Korean word created from English terms to mean physical affection) and referring to one another as 'lovers' have become part of children's everyday vocabulary, according to a 31-year-old elementary school teacher.
'My students openly discuss these terms with their peers. Words like 'kiss,' which were once whispered, are now casually thrown around,' the teacher said.
While some parents find the innocence of such interactions endearing, others express discomfort at the accelerated pace of their children's emotional development. Educators and experts also highlight the importance of teaching children about boundaries and consent to navigate relationships responsibly.
Experts stress the need for age-appropriate education on relationships and emotional boundaries.
Sex education specialists emphasize that parents should avoid harsh criticism and instead provide calm guidance, explaining the responsibilities and limits associated with relationships.
Teaching children how to express and accept rejection is particularly crucial, as an inability to handle rejection has been linked to issues such as bullying and retaliatory behaviors.
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