"Marriage is a choice; if it's miserable, not doing it is the answer"... Parents' advice on excessive dowry demands from in-laws

When a child facing marriage experiences difficulties due to excessive dowry demands from prospective in-laws, what attitude should parents take? In a video recently released through the YouTube channel Dongchimi, the cast members shared their respective values by setting up a situation involving unreasonable demands from in-laws.

"If living miserably, not marrying is also a way"... Respecting the child's choice

The cast members premised that the marriage of an adult child is their own choice. One cast member mentioned that only about half of the current generation gets married, and said that if a child gets married and lives too hard and miserably, it is better to not marry instead. In particular, the opinion was presented that if one can be economically independent, there is no need to live while depending on the other person.

"Dowry reveals the other person's true face"... Responding to excessive demands from in-laws

In the role-play within the video, a situation appeared where the in-laws demand an excessive dowry list in a situation where the prospective son-in-law is not liked. Regarding this, the cast members agreed that dowry demands are an indicator of the other person's character. One cast member stated that dowry is an event that shows the other person's true face, and said that if the dowry demand is beyond common sense, they would tell their daughter to persuade the in-laws to waive the dowry or to resolve it herself.

Some cast members showed a firm attitude. One cast member said that since they cannot take responsibility for their daughter's life until the end, if the partner is not liked, they would convey the intention that it is better not to marry, saying, "I can see clearly that this kind of marriage will be like this." Additionally, if the partner's character is at an absolutely unacceptable level, they showed a strong stance by saying to their daughter, "You can even cut ties with me, so live as you wish," or "I will make them the ones to cut ties."

"The principle is to provide according to one's circumstances"

Regarding the scope of dowry support, opinions emerged that the parents' economic situation should be the standard. One cast member said that it is right to provide dowry within the range of one's own circumstances, and if it is not possible, one must draw a clear line saying it cannot be provided. In particular, they emphasized that unreasonable support, such as taking out 300 million won in debt when one has 100 million won in surplus, should not be done.

The cast members mentioned that a child's marriage goes beyond a simple union of two people and includes the relationship with the parents-in-law, suggesting that the influence of the partner's family character on the child's life must be considered.