Having been here a couple years, the romantic woes of Korean singles is anything but surprising. I think two topics that haven't been covered are their socialization and the culture of exclusion.
From what I can tell, the average day of a successful middle school or high school student is spent shifting from home, to school, to hagwons. As a high school student, my ex would leave her hagwon at 12 am. A critical time in social development, therefore, is passed over in the obsession to get into a top school. So while they may have benefited intellectually from their incessant schooling, the constant parental coddling and social deprivation severely impedes their maturity.
The exclusive element of Korean culture has a debilitating effect on their abilities to successfuly network. Most Korean college students only associate themselves with people in their major. Think about that: they spend all day in the dorms and on campus with thousands of fellow students, but will only interact with those taking the same classes.
This culture of exclusion can be seen in the layout of your typical bar, where everyone is segregated within booths. There is a popular bar in Cheonan where not only are patrons cordoned off in booths, but sequestered behind curtains! In Pyeongtaek they've taken this a step further, where instead of a curtain, you have a sliding opaque door that can be locked to ward off unwanted company. Now I'm not suggesting a bar is the best place to meet a long-term match, but it is a good place to practice social skills and network. Once again an opportunity missed.
I agree with alot of the other sentiments (unrealistic expectations, superficiality, parental and social pressure) but I'm too tired to elaborate!
