Speed dating, Tinder and ‘leftover women’: the changing face of love and loneliness in Hong Kong
With only 852 men to every 1,000 women, the city faces impending demographic challenges due to late marriage, low fertility and an ageing population
Mary, 31, a frequent speed dater in Hong Kong, has never had a boyfriend, after spending five years being repeatedly disappointed as she searched for her Mr Right.
Speaking on the condition she could use a pseudonym, Mary said she felt hopeless over the trend of women being “leftover” in the city because they outnumbered the men, a situation worsened by factors such as a falling marriage rate due to high housing prices and long working hours discouraging singletons from going on dates.
In Hong Kong, the gender ratio has become increasingly skewed, with just 852 males to every 1,000 females, compared with 911 to 1,000 a decade ago.
“I’ve never known what it is really like to be in a serious relationship, to live in the same house with a guy, or to get married,” Mary said. “I grew up learning about dating by watching dramas and movies, but I do not know what it is really like, you know, to be loved by a boyfriend.”
Hungry for love, Hong Kong singles pay up for Valentine’s Day speed dating events
“We have all been told that Hong Kong girls outnumber the boys – what if I am the one who really cannot find a partner in the end?” she asked.
Mary is one of many young women in the city having trouble finding a partner. Despite being only 23, Wendy So Shun-man, also felt the need to attend speed dating events in search of a serious relationship.
