'I'll live with Mom': More Koreans reaching age 50 without ever having married

More Koreans are reaching their 50s without ever having married, and many are living with or caring for aging parents. Ministry of Data and Statistics data show 934,000 people in their 50s had never married as of August, 11 percent of that age group. The number is 3.3 times the 281,000 recorded 10 years ago. Among people 60 and older, 339,000 have never married, while the share in their 40s is 20 percent.

The article says many unmarried people in their 50s and 60s live with their parents, and some return to their family homes later in life because of circumstances or caregiving needs.

It says some adult children become their parents’ caregivers, and siblings may ask them to move back home rather than continue living alone.

The mother in the opening example has limited mobility on one side of her body because of a stroke, and her daughter helps her go out more often and may have prevented her from needing a long-term care facility.

Published Sep 22, 2026 4:25 pm KST

A woman in her mid-50s lives with her elderly mother. She was too busy working to marry and ended up remaining single well past 50. Her mother, now in her 80s, is still disappointed that her daughter has not married but is happy to have her by her side.

The mother has limited mobility on one side of her body due to a stroke. Thanks to her daughter, she is able to go out more often. Without her daughter, she might have had to move into a long-term care facility. Her other two children, a son and a daughter, are married and live separately.

1.27 million unmarried people in their 50s and 60s

According to data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics, 934,000 men and women in their 50s had never married as of August, accounting for 11 percent of the total population in their 50s. The figure is 3.3 times higher than the 281,000 recorded 10 years ago. Among those aged 60 and older, 339,000 people have never married. The proportion of unmarried people in their 40s also stood at 20 percent.

There are various reasons why men and women who have reached middle age have not married, including insufficient financial means and difficulty finding a suitable partner.

There are differences between men and women in why they remain unmarried into middle age. Many men have delayed marriage because they lacked the financial means or other conditions needed to marry. The proportion of unmarried men was higher among those with lower levels of education.

Women, on the other hand, were often highly educated and had relatively good jobs. Some appear to have postponed marriage because they were unable to find men they considered compatible.

Many care for parents who are ill

People in their 50s and 60s who remain unmarried often live with their parents. Some lived separately when they were younger but eventually returned to their family homes, either by choice or because circumstances left them little alternative.

Some adult children have no choice but to become their parents' caregivers. In some cases, other siblings ask them to return to the family home rather than continue living alone.

They may have enjoyed the freedom of single life when they were younger, but in their 50s or 60s they find themselves living with their families again. Although caregiving can be physically demanding, they continue because their parents are happier having them around.

The mother had always worried about her unmarried daughter. These days, however, she often tells her, “I’m alive thanks to you,” because the daughter takes such good care of her.

Even so, she cannot feel completely at ease. People who live alone may enjoy greater freedom, but illness can become their biggest concern. This is especially true when a serious illness leaves them unable to move around easily and makes them long for the presence of family.

Of course, they may rely mainly on caregivers, but there are limits to what caregivers can provide. For people living alone, good health is particularly important. What happens when you lose your health? Where will you go? Who will take care of you?

As the number of people who are unmarried or choose not to marry continues to grow, being healthy may become increasingly important to maintaining an independent life in old age.

This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top health care and medical portal, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

越来越多的韩国人到了50多岁仍未婚，许多人与年迈的父母同住或照顾他们。韩国统计厅的数据显示，截至8月，50多岁的未婚人士达93.4万人，占该年龄段人口的11%。这一数字是10年前（28.1万人）的3.3倍。在60岁及以上的人群中，未婚人士达33.9万人，而40多岁人群的未婚比例为20%。

文章指出，许多五六十岁的未婚人士与父母同住，有些人由于各种原因或照顾家人的需要，在晚年回到父母家中居住。

报告称，有些成年子女会成为父母的照顾者，兄弟姐妹可能会要求他们搬回家住，而不是继续独自生活。

开篇例子中的母亲因中风导致身体一侧活动受限，她的女儿经常帮助她外出，这可能使她免于入住长期护理机构。

发布于2026年9月22日下午4:25（韩国标准时间）

一位五十多岁的女子与年迈的母亲同住。她忙于工作无暇结婚，结果五十多岁仍然单身。她的母亲如今已八十多岁，虽然对女儿未婚仍有些遗憾，但很高兴女儿能陪伴在身边。

这位母亲因中风导致身体一侧行动不便。多亏了女儿的照顾，她才能经常外出。如果没有女儿，她可能就得住进长期护理机构了。她的另外两个孩子，一个儿子和一个女儿，都已结婚，不住在一起。

127万50至60岁未婚人士

根据韩国数据统计部的数据，截至8月，50多岁的未婚男女共有93.4万人，占50多岁总人口的11%。这一数字是10年前（28.1万人）的3.3倍。在60岁及以上的人群中，未婚人数为33.9万人。40多岁未婚人口的比例也达到了20%。

中年男女未婚的原因有很多，包括经济能力不足和难以找到合适的伴侣。

男性和女性中年未婚的原因有所不同。许多男性推迟结婚是因为缺乏经济能力或其他结婚所需的条件。受教育程度较低的男性中，未婚男性的比例更高。

另一方面，女性通常受过高等教育，拥有相对不错的工作。有些女性似乎因为找不到合适的伴侣而推迟结婚。

许多人照顾生病的父母。

五六十岁未婚的人通常与父母同住。有些人年轻时曾独立生活，但最终还是回到了父母家，可能是出于自愿，也可能是因为迫于无奈。

有些成年子女别无选择，只能承担起照顾父母的责任。在某些情况下，其他兄弟姐妹会劝说他们搬回家住，而不是继续独居。

他们年轻时或许享受过单身生活的自由，但到了五六十岁，却发现自己又回到了家人身边。尽管照顾家人很辛苦，但他们仍然坚持，因为父母有他们在身边会更快乐。

这位母亲一直很担心她未婚的女儿。然而，如今她经常对女儿说：“我能活着全靠你”，因为女儿对她照顾得无微不至。

即便如此，她也无法完全安心。独居者或许享有更大的自由，但疾病却可能成为他们最大的忧虑。尤其当重病使他们行动不便，渴望家人陪伴时，更是如此。

当然，他们可能主要依赖照护人员，但照护人员能提供的服务毕竟有限。对于独居人士来说，良好的健康状况尤为重要。一旦失去健康怎么办？去哪里？谁来照顾你？

随着未婚或选择不结婚的人数不断增加，保持健康对于老年时期维持独立生活可能变得越来越重要。

本文来自韩国顶级医疗保健门户网站 Kormedi.com，由人工智能生成系统翻译，并由《韩国时报》编辑。