With a modern twist, bridal showers join pre-wedding traditions for young Korean women
Throwing a bridal shower for a bride-to-be has become a trendy part of modern Korean culture. But it’s hard to pin down exactly when this tradition took root.
The earliest mentions in Korean media date back to 2009, when an article in the Donga Ilbo, a local daily, credited hit American TV shows like “Sex and the City” and “Friends” for introducing the concept to young Koreans. The article highlighted a young woman hosting a small bridal party with her college friends at a restaurant in Gangnam.
Back then, bridal showers felt more like a rare and unique activity than a cultural phenomenon.
By 2011, however, the idea had gained traction.
Media outlets began reporting on the growing popularity of these celebrations, marking the rise of what is now a common pre-wedding ritual for many young Korean women.
A slight Korean twist
While Korean bridal showers take inspiration from American customs, they’ve evolved into something uniquely their own.
In Korea, gift-giving is often skipped. Instead, the focus is on creating a visually stunning event. Beautifully decorated spaces, stylish photoshoots and quality time with close friends — often accompanied by delivery food — define these gatherings.
Park Do-yeon, 30, shared her experience.
“We rented a rooftop Airbnb in Itaewon. A friend bought flowers in bulk at Yangjae Flower Market to decorate the space, and we ordered a custom cake. After taking lots of pictures, we shared delivery tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) together.”
Park explained that friends don’t typically bring gifts to the celebration because they traditionally give congratulatory money later at the wedding.
“I don’t think another gift is necessary,” she said.
For Han Ji-ae, 35, who got married last year, her friends went all out.
“They threw me a party at a party room in Jamsil. They didn’t have to decorate the room much because it was already set up with balloons, flowers, and even white dresses that we could wear for photos,” Han said.
Han explained that since Korean wedding ceremonies are so quick, it was nice to spend quality time with her closest friends, who were genuinely happy for her.
“My friends brought a cake and a bottle of champagne. After taking lots of pictures, we enjoyed some spicy stir-fry hot pot that we had delivered. We also tried doing eccentric makeup on each other’s faces. We were laughing a lot while doing that,” she said.
For those looking to splurge, many high-end hotels now offer bridal shower packages as well.
Hotel Shilla, for example, launched a package in May last year that includes a flower-adorned room, pink balloons, LED candles and a private dining experience.
“We introduced the package after noticing a trend among our guests hosting marriage proposal events and bridal showers. Since last year, we’ve continued to offer this service,” a Hotel Shilla spokesperson told The Korea Herald.
The official added that pricing varies depending on the room type and additional requests, such as decorations and cakes.
Interestingly, the bridal shower trend has sparked creative spinoffs among men, too.
“A group of my male friends threw a funny ‘bridal shower’ for the groom-to-be after they found out about it online,” said Park. “He wore a white T-shirt with a funny picture of himself, and the friends wore black T-shirts with the same image. The photos were hilarious!”
Just for Instagram?
With over 1.37 million Instagram posts under the Korean term for “bridal shower,” it’s clear the trend isn’t slowing down.
Like any trend, Korean-style bridal showers have faced criticism. Some see them as expensive spectacles overly focused on social media.
“It’s a meaningful event, but the time and cost can be overwhelming,” Park said. “I’m getting married this year, but I’ve asked my friends not to throw me one. It feels like it’s becoming more about Instagram and less about genuine celebration.”
The cost is also burdensome for many Koreans.
Holding a shower at a hotel can cost more than 1 million won, Park said.
“My friends and I did it at an Airbnb, so we spent a lot less, but we still spent quite a lot for a special cake and decorations.”
In October last year, a post on the app Blind — an anonymous community for work-related discussions — went viral. A bride-to-be complained that her fiance refused to contribute financially to her bridal shower.
She compared him to a friend’s fiance, who booked a hotel suite and provided a credit card to order food for the celebration.
Han admitted the comparisons can be frustrating.
“One of my friends had her shower fully covered by her dad and the groom. I couldn’t afford a hotel, and it was hard to tell my friends this.”
