The Rituals of Wedding Culture in Modern Korea

If you walk past a large, glass-fronted building in Gangnam or a major hotel in central Seoul on a Saturday afternoon in October, you will notice a specific kind of organized chaos. Streams of people in dark suits and elegant, muted-tone dresses are moving toward the lobby. There is a distinct rhythm to the day: the sound of a professional wedding singer warming up, the sight of a bride sitting in a brightly lit room surrounded by assistants adjusting her veil, and the steady hum of guests grabbing white envelopes from a communal table.