Chuk-uigeum
Overview
Chuk-uigeum (祝儀金) refers to money given to express congratulations on auspicious events in others' lives, such as weddings, doljanchi (first-birthday celebrations), hwangap (60th-birthday celebrations), and business openings. In Korea and other East Asian societies, chuk-uigeum has functioned not merely as a simple gift but as an important cultural device reflecting the closeness or distance of human relationships, social obligations, and the principle of mutual reciprocity. Recently, with the spread of mobile remittances and easy payment services and the rise of small-scale wedding culture, the ways in which chuk-uigeum is exchanged and the standards for amounts are changing rapidly.
Main Content
Definition and Etymology
Chuk-uigeum is a word combining the Chinese characters 祝 (to wish), 儀 (conduct/propriety), and 金 (metal/money), meaning 'money given as a courtesy to celebrate an auspicious occasion.' Money given to express consolation in times of mourning is called jo-uigeum (弔儀金) or bu-uigeum (賻儀金), while money for both auspicious and mournful occasions together is called bujogeum (扶助金). In Japan it is called 'goshugi (ご祝儀),' and in the Chinese-speaking sphere 'hongbao (紅包),' where the custom of delivering it in a red envelope is widespread. In the West, it is common to share a gift registry or send a congratulatory card rather than cash to mark a wedding, so cash contributions carry a distinctly East Asian character.
History and Origins
The practice of bujo began in ancient village communities. In agrarian societies, ceremonies such as weddings and funerals were costly and difficult for a single household to bear, so village members contributed money and goods in the manner of a labor-exchange cooperative (pumasi). During the Joseon dynasty, ceremonies became more formalized under the influence of the Family Rituals of Zhu Xi (《朱子家禮》), which prescribed wedding, funeral, and ancestral rites, and the custom of relatives and neighbors contributing wealth under the name 'bujo' took hold. Bujo at that time had a strong character of mutual aid, but as industrialization and urbanization dismantled communities centered on blood ties and regional ties, it increasingly took on the character of transactions between individuals. With economic growth in the 1980s and 1990s, weddings came to be held in hotels and wedding halls, and the amounts of chuk-uigeum rose sharply; since the 2000s, the burden has emerged as a social issue, to the point that the term 'chuk-uigeum inflation' appeared.
Amount Standards and Social Practices
The amount of chuk-uigeum is not governed by absolute rules but varies with the closeness of the relationship, region, age group, and price levels. Generally, 50,000 won is customary for company colleagues or acquaintances, 100,000 won for close friends or relatives, and 200,000 won or more for very close relationships or those of high social standing. Whether one attends alone or with family, and how much the meal and return gifts cost, are also factors. In particular, an 'implicit consensus' to match amounts among members of the same organization sometimes operates, and breaking it is thought to cause friction in relationships. Conversely, there are loud voices cautioning against ostentation or rank contests arising from having given a large chuk-uigeum.
Envelope Writing and Etiquette
For chuk-uigeum, colored paper envelopes carrying a celebratory meaning are used rather than plain white ones, and phrases suited to the nature of the event — such as 'Chuk Gyeolhon (祝 結婚)' (congratulations on marriage), 'Chuk Seonghon,' or 'Chuk Dol (祝 晩生)' — are written on the front. It is customary to write one's affiliation and name at the lower left of the back, and the envelope opening is often sealed by folding the top over. Odd-numbered amounts (30,000, 50,000, 70,000 won) are considered auspicious, and amounts containing '4,' such as 40,000 won, are often avoided. In recent years, however, as the tendency to give in convenient 10,000-won units has grown, the odd-numbered custom has gradually weakened. The recipient is expected, as a matter of courtesy, to later return at least the same amount on the giver's own auspicious occasion.
Accounting and Record-Keeping Culture
Chuk-uigeum is usually recorded along with a guest book at the reception desk on the wedding day. Because this list is used as reference material when the bride and groom later reciprocate on the other party's auspicious occasions, the 'bujo ledger' is sometimes treated in Korean society as a kind of human-network asset. In the past, paper ledgers were common, but recently it is increasingly aggregated and managed automatically through mobile wedding invitation apps or wedding hall management systems. In this process, issues such as the protection of personal information and the exposure of chuk-uigeum lists to third parties have newly come to the fore.
Tax and Legal Issues
Under the gift tax law, chuk-uigeum can in principle be regarded as a gift, but chuk-uigeum within the range accepted by social convention is often excluded from taxation or not taxed in practice. However, when a corporation delivers a large chuk-uigeum to a business partner, it can raise issues under entertainment expense rules or the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act (Kim Young-ran Act). It is widely known that there are set limits on chuk-uigeum that public officials and others may receive — such as 50,000 won (with separate standards when a meal is provided) — and that exceeding them may trigger a duty to report.
Recent Trends
Entering 2024–2025, clear changes are detectable in chuk-uigeum culture. First, with the spread of mobile wedding invitations and easy remittance, the proportion of people sending chuk-uigeum via KakaoPay, Toss, and similar services without going through the wedding hall reception desk has increased greatly. Accordingly, more newlywed couples disclose their bank account numbers, and the culture of paper envelopes and guest books is relatively shrinking. Second, as the notion that '100,000 won is the national standard for chuk-uigeum' spreads, more people agonize between 50,000 and 100,000 won, and the floor itself is rising in reflection of price increases. Third, as small weddings and family-only weddings increase, cases have appeared of declaring a 'no chuk-uigeum wedding.' Fourth, as more young people feel the very act of giving chuk-uigeum to be a burden, discussion is active about reducing the 'chuk-uigeum excess' practice that extends even to gatherings to which one was not invited. Cases are also appearing of local governments and companies running campaigns to improve excessive bujo practices, and while the reciprocity norm of 'returning as much as one received' becomes more elaborate through mobile record-keeping, concerns are raised at the same time that human relationships become correspondingly more calculating.
Related Topics
- [[Bujogeum]]
- [[Jo-uigeum]]
- [[Wedding]]
- [[Mobile wedding invitation]]
- [[Improper Solicitation and Graft Act]]
- [[Gift tax]]