Marriage arrangements and matchmakers In South Korea, a type of arranged marriage is widespread. This sort of marriage is commonly referred to as seon by Koreans (seon). Parents usually organize a meeting, but it is ultimately up to the pair to decide whether or not to marry. Matchmakers are also widely used in South Korea. These individuals often have many clients and will choose partners for them. They will sometimes receive a fee for their services. In an arranged marriage, parents meet with the aim of finding someone suitable for their child. The child has no input into the decision making process. Sometimes friends are involved in the selection process too. The parents then work out a marriage contract with the in-law family. If everything goes well, the young couple will get married. Arranged marriages are common in Korea because families want to ensure that they find a partner who is able to satisfy him/her. It can be difficult for youngsters to accept these marriages. They feel like they have been given away without any choice or consideration of opinion. Korea is a patriarchal society where men hold most of the power. As such, they prefer marriages where both the husband and wife come from strong families with much money. The husband needs to be younger than the wife though; usually less than five years older. If the wife is older than the husband, some people may think that she is trying to take control over him.