In South Korea, where a traditional notion of family has long been espoused by conservative people, the news that actor Jung Woo-sung fathered a child with model Moon Ga-bi outside of marriage has generated a firestorm of gossipy online responses and intense media coverage.

Their celebrity status has probably drawn more public attention than necessary, but their decision to go public about having a child without being married to each other has a positive element as it has ignited public debates about the shifting trends in Korean society that challenge the long-held notions of family, marriage and parenthood.

While those with deep-rooted beliefs about traditional forms of family still tend to put priority on marriage when forming a family, young people see no problem with nontraditional family structures. The numbers shed fresh light on this change in society. According to social survey data, 42.8 percent of young Koreans in their 20s now believe that marriage is not a prerequisite for raising children. This marks a 12.5 percentage point increase over the last decade.

Yet, South Korea remains a fairly conservative nation when it comes to family and marriage, compared with the other Organization of Cooperation and Development member nations. Statistics Korea reported that 10,900 babies were born to unmarried parents in 2023, accounting for 4.7 percent of total births, which is considerably lower than the OECD average of 41.9 percent.

The gap illustrates the influence of entrenched social and institutional barriers surrounding marriage, family and having children, despite clear signs of a change in public perception in favor of more diverse forms of family.

The mixed public reaction to Jung and Moon’s child also lays bare the conflicting views among Koreans. Public support for nonmarital parenthood is slowly growing, aided by the TV exposure of high-profile figures like celebrity Sayuri, who had a child through a sperm donation in 2020.

But sensational media coverage and negative online comments also abound about nontraditional forms of family, reflecting a reluctance to accept family arrangements that defy such tradition. Some speculative articles have not only invaded the privacy of Jung and Moon but have also amplified stigma about nontraditional families.

This cultural resistance against new forms of family is mirrored in government policy. Korea’s laws and support systems remain overwhelmingly oriented toward married couples, offering little help to unmarried parents. Tax benefits, parental leave and child care subsidies are designed primarily for traditional families composed of two heterosexual married parents. Laws restricting access to assisted reproductive technologies for single women further reinforce these barriers.

These wide gaps in support are especially troubling in the context of Korea’s deepening demographic crisis. The country has the world’s lowest fertility rate, projected to fall to just 0.74 children per woman this year -- far below the 2.1 needed for population replacement.

Experts have long pointed out a correlation between higher rates of nonmarital births and overall fertility. In this regard, embracing diverse forms of family is not just a matter of fairness but a potential remedy to the demographic crisis.

But there are also those who hold critical views about support for nontraditional families. They argue that actively promoting nonmarital parenthood risks undermining traditional family values.

Those who favor diverse forms of family counter that the aim of reforms to support policies is not to erode established norms about family but to allow individuals the freedom to choose the family arrangements that suit them best, without unnecessary legal or economic obstacles.

South Korea’s gradual acceptance of evolving family norms is not unique. Across the globe, shifting attitudes toward marriage, family and parenthood have led to more diverse family structures. What sets South Korea apart is the speed with which social perceptions are shifting compared to the slow pace of policy reforms. But the growing visibility of nonmarital families and their increasing acceptance among younger generations suggest that change is inevitable.