Ahn Young-mi: 'It ends in 20 minutes' — Why she skipped her wedding

Comedian Ahn Young-mi has once again opened up about starting her married life through marriage registration alone, skipping a traditional wedding ceremony. Her pragmatic perspective, which prioritizes actual married life and family relationships over grand ceremonies, has drawn significant attention.

On the 1st, during the MBC FM4U program 'Dusiui Deiteu An Yeong-mi-imnida,' Ahn responded to a listener's concerns regarding an upcoming marriage scheduled for next May by reflecting on her own experience.

When the listener requested wisdom for engaged couples, stating, "Preparing for marriage is not easy," Ahn countered by asking, "If it's next May, there's almost a year left, so do you really have to prepare already?" She noted that she did not hold a wedding ceremony, adding, "I only registered the marriage and didn't wear a wedding dress. I know how difficult the preparation process can be."

Ahn's decision to skip the wedding is interpreted as her refusal to equate the institution of marriage with the event of a wedding ceremony. She believes there is an essential difference between the legal procedure of becoming a couple and the social custom of holding a large-scale event.

Based on her observations of those around her, she remarked, "Looking at people around me getting married, they say it's a lot of work. Even if you prepare like that, when you go to the wedding hall, it ends in 20 minutes. It's like a factory. Nothing remains. You just take photos." She pointed out the gap between the formality of the ceremony and actual married life, questioning, "I wonder if one really needs to have a wedding."

For a long time, a wedding has functioned as a ritual to announce the union of individuals to their families and society. Particularly in Korean society, it has established itself as a social ritual where both families, relatives, colleagues, and acquaintances gather to celebrate. However, as marriage forms diversify, options such as small weddings, family-centered meals, or simply registering the marriage are increasingly accepted as valid choices.

Rather than denying the practical function of a wedding, Ahn advised considering the realistic variable of both families. She noted, "Since it is a meeting of both families, it seems like a ceremony should be held. If both sides are stubborn, they will fight. I hope they compromise and do well."

While a ceremony can be optional if marriage is viewed solely as a union between two individuals, Korean family culture often extends marriage to the formation of a relationship between two households. Ahn's skepticism toward weddings, paired with her acknowledgment of the need to consider both sets of parents, accurately captures this cultural reality.

Ahn registered her marriage in 2020 to a non-celebrity husband working for a foreign company. As her husband spent significant time living in the United States, the couple has maintained a long-distance marriage traveling between Korea and the U.S. Instead of a public event, they have built their marital relationship through their daily lives.

Their family structure has continued to evolve since then. Ahn gave birth to her first son in the United States in 2023, and in June this year, she welcomed her second son in Seoul. Rather than the absence of a wedding, the way the couple has formed a family and built their life serves as the true indicator of her marriage.

Ahn's career as a broadcaster also aligns with her preference for substance over formality. She has long been active in the entertainment industry with a unique character and bold personality, often disclosing her personal choices with honesty. Her recent remarks reflect her tendency to judge based on personal experience rather than blindly following social customs.

Of course, a wedding is not unnecessary for everyone. For some, it is an important ritual to express gratitude to loved ones and declare a new beginning, and the ceremony itself can become a meaningful memory. Ultimately, what matters is not the scale of the event, but the meaning assigned to it by the couple and their families.

Ahn's advice is less a recommendation to skip weddings and more a realistic prompt for engaged couples to consider the purpose of their preparations. Behind her blunt remark that "it ends in 20 minutes" lies the experiential realization that the many days following a wedding are far more important than the ceremony itself.

A wedding lasts one day, but marriage is a continuous daily life. This is the core distinction Ahn emphasized through her experience. Prioritizing shared values and considering the perspectives of both families is the most practical advice she offered to engaged couples.