Last year, the number of consumers who used wedding planning services (wedding consulting) and received “damage relief” through the Korea Consumer Agency increased by 55% in a year. This is not just limited to wedding consulting, and the number is expected to increase if the cases of damage in related industries such as “Sudme” (a studio-dress-makeup package) and wedding halls are added up. South Korean government has decided to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the marriage service market, considering that the actual situation is sporadically known.
According to the Korea Consumer Agency on Mar. 22, there were 235 reported cases of consumers seeking compensation for damages from wedding planning businesses last year. This number has been steadily increasing, rising from 92 cases in 2021 to 152 in 2022. These figures are not the reports received but the instances where consumers successfully proved the damages and expert fact-finding recommended an actual settlement between the company and the consumer. This indicates that consumers are increasingly encountering unfair situations in the wedding industry.
Wedding planners take care of almost all wedding-related preparations, from renting wedding attire, photography, and makeup to venue booking, and recommendations on shops to buy furnishings. Due to the intricacies of wedding preparation and limited information available, such services have become essential for prospective brides and grooms.
Analysis conducted by the agency revealed that the most common types of complaints regarding the damages were contract-related issues, such as “overcharging for penalty fees” and “refusal to withdraw offers”. Despite the current law allowing a 14-day “right of withdrawal” without penalty after purchasing a product at a wedding fair or related businesses, some contracts stipulate a “no refund” policy from the outset. There are also cases where they impose excessive penalties even with ample time before the contract execution date.
Other issues reported included instances of hair and makeup staff failing to show up on the event day and poor-quality photo albums. Additionally, there are unscrupulous business practices, such as disadvantaging and discriminating against brides who opt to handle a studio-dress-makeup package themselves, known as “walk-in customers”. “Certain dress shops imposed higher prices or displayed unfriendly behavior towards me when I didn’t engage the services of a wedding planner,” a prospective bride aged 31 said.
Prospective grooms also face the challenge of being “good at drawing”. Most dress shops don’t allow photography, necessitating them to memorize dress details by hand. A prospective groom aged 32 said, “My girlfriend printed out a “dress pattern” through an internet cafe, so I studied the material and line type of the dress beforehand and drew it .” The practice of tipping and providing snacks to photographers, bridal assistants, and wedding hall staff is highlighted as uncomfortable.
