Money set aside for funerals is increasingly being used to find a new partner. As South Korea's funeral service providers expand beyond end-of-life care into remarriage counseling and senior matchmaking, later-in-life romance is emerging as a new market.
Remarriages Rise Only Among Those 65 and Over; 38% of Older Households Live Alone
Funeral service companies are broadening their offerings from traditional funeral and nursing care into dating, remarriage and travel services for middle-aged and older customers, industry sources said on the 20th.
Growing demand for remarriage among older adults, driven by the expanding elderly population, is cited as the main factor.
According to the 2026 Statistics on the Elderly released by the National Data Agency on the 1st, total remarriages last year fell 5.4% among men and 4.4% among women from a year earlier. Among those aged 65 and over, however, remarriages rose 5.0% among men and 6.0% among women. While overall remarriages declined, more older adults sought new spouses.
South Korea's population aged 65 and over stands at 11.125 million this year, or 21.6% of the total. Households headed by someone 65 or older number 6.507 million, and 38.0% of them are single-person households.
With the senior population and single-person households both growing, demand for easing loneliness in later life and forming new relationships is drawing attention as a growth opportunity for related businesses.
From Remarriage Counseling to Matchmaking Parties: Competing to Help Seniors Find Partners
Coway Life Solution signed a memorandum of understanding with Synol, a senior social platform operator, on the 14th, adding remarriage and matchmaking services to its membership benefits. Coway Life Solution subscribers can receive professional counseling through Syrup Inyeon, operated by Synol, and get an additional discount of up to 300,000 won ($210) when signing up for the service.
Synol operates Syrup, a dating app for middle-aged and older users, along with Synol Moim, which connects hobby groups and regular gatherings, and Syrup Inyeon, a remarriage and matchmaking service.
Coway Life Solution is strengthening marriage-related partnerships following earlier moves into medical care, nursing and travel. Last month, it teamed up with Mering, a lifestyle platform for newlyweds, to offer an additional discount of up to 10% on wedding packages.
Kyowon Life entered the senior matchmaking market earlier. In 2024, it signed an agreement with matchmaking firm Noblesse Soohyun, allowing members to apply their prepaid funeral plan contributions toward premium matchmaking services instead of funerals.
In September of that year, it also hosted a matchmaking party for single members in their 50s and 60s. Eight men and eight women attended, sharing dinner and rotating partners for one-on-one conversations.
Use of these services is also rising. Kyowon Life's wedding and matchmaking service transactions rose 16% last year from a year earlier, and jumped 70% in the January-August period this year from the same period a year earlier. The figures include users outside the senior age group.
Funeral Plans Now Pay for Weddings and Travel as the Industry Shifts
Preed Life is also treating matchmaking services as a new growth area.
In January last year, it launched a one-on-one customized matchmaking service through a partnership with Noblesse Soohyun. Prepaid funeral plan subscribers can convert their contributions into matchmaking services, with benefits worth up to 1.8 million won ($1,260) depending on the plan.
The service introduces candidates based on each client's criteria and preferences, and is open not only to those who have never married but also to middle-aged and older people seeking new relationships after divorce or the death of a spouse.
Funeral service providers are turning to matchmaking so customers can use their contributions before a funeral is needed. Where the industry once focused on preparing for death, it is now expanding into services needed during life, such as weddings and travel.
Kyowon Life's travel service transactions rose 149% in the January-August period this year from the same period a year earlier, indicating a rapid increase in customers putting their prepaid funeral contributions toward trips.
Industry officials expect services supporting later life to diversify further as the ranks of "active seniors," who are healthy and economically engaged, continue to grow.
"More customers are using their prepaid funeral plan contributions for a range of services including weddings, matchmaking and travel," an industry official said. "We will expand partnership benefits tailored to seniors' interests and needs."