Korean Couple Rings: What They Mean and Where to Shop for Them

In Korean tradition, there is more than just the wedding band and engagement ring. First comes a promise ring of sorts: Korean couple rings are matching pieces that young couples exchange at an early milestone in their relationship.

"The tradition of couple rings in Korea developed in the 1980s and 1990s," says Niki Lee, general manager at Minigold parent company HON CO., Ltd. "While wedding bands already existed, Korean youth began embracing the idea of exchanging rings earlier in a relationship, often around special milestones. Over time, this became part of Korea's broader 'couple culture,' where celebrating 100-day anniversaries or one-year anniversaries with couple rings became a common and cherished practice."

According to some, the inspiration dates back even further. "The couple rings that young lovers in Korea exchange today actually trace back to an old tradition called ssang-garakji (雙加勒指), literally 'paired rings,'" explains Soung-eun Kim, founder and creative director of Naschenka, a Korean jewelry brand that has adorned K-pop stars and actors. "In Asia, especially in Korea, the bold style of wearing two identical rings stacked together is deeply rooted in our traditional heritage. Married women wore ssang-garakji, a set of two rings, and unmarried women wore only one half of the pair, called ban-garakji. While the practice of couple rings as we know it today is modern, its roots lie in the age-old concept of two matching rings symbolizing a destined bond."

Here, we dive into what Korean couple rings symbolize, how to wear them and where to shop.

In this article:

• What Are Korean Couple Rings?
• How to Wear a Korean Couple Ring
• Where to Buy Korean Couple Rings

What Are Korean Couple Rings?

Think of a Korean couple ring as a promise ring worn by both partners, symbolizing a shared commitment. The rings are by no means required before an engagement ring, but many couples see them as a fun milestone to celebrate.

Korean Couple Rings Meaning

"Korean couple rings are matching rings that symbolize love, commitment and togetherness in a relationship," Lee explains. "They are a visible sign that two people are connected and serious about their relationship. For many couples, these rings serve as a promise of love and a step toward a deeper commitment, often seen as a prelude to engagement or marriage."

What Do Korean Couples' Rings Look Like?

Couple rings are often minimalist rings—nothing so flashy as a typical engagement ring. "They are often made in simple and modern designs, typically in gold or silver," Lee says. "Many couples prefer minimalist bands with subtle details, though some add personal touches such as engravings, birthstones or small diamonds. The focus is less on extravagance and more on everyday wearability and symbolic meaning."

When do Korean Couples Exchange Rings?

Sometimes known as the Korean 100-day gold ring in Korean tradition, a couple's ring is often exchanged around 100 days, or a little more than three months, into the relationship. "Couples typically exchange rings after reaching meaningful milestones, such as 100 days or one year into the relationship," Lee says. "It's seen as a way to commemorate the progress of the relationship and make a public expression of love and commitment."

While engagement rings are typically gifted by men to women (though historically, women could purchase the ssang-garakji for themselves), couples' rings work a little differently. "Today's couple rings are usually chosen together by both partners, reflecting a mutual commitment rather than a one-way gesture," Kim says. "They are a cultural heritage where over a thousand years of history meet modern expressions of love."

How to Wear a Korean Couple Ring

"Among younger generations today, it's common for couples to save money together and purchase matching rings as a shared gesture," Lee says. "This shift reflects a more equal and collaborative approach to relationships." Furthering that trend, some couples will actually make their own rings together at jewelry workshops (like the one offered by Honze Workroom in Seoul).

Once couples have the rings, they are typically worn on the left hand. "Today, rings are commonly worn on the left ring finger, following Western custom," Kim explains. "But in traditional Korea, there was no strict meaning attached to a particular finger. Women wore their rings wherever they liked—ring finger, index finger or even pinky."

Ultimately, it's up to the couple. "Some couples wear them on the right hand or even on different fingers, depending on personal preference," Lee says. "The key point is not uniformity but the shared meaning between partners."

Where to Buy Korean Couple Rings

Couple rings are a niche category that can be hard to tap online; often, couples in Korea will go to a workshop to create the rings together. Still, we pulled together a list of jewelers and creators offering matching rings for couples or their own versions of the traditional Korean couple ring.

Minigold

Photo: Minigold

Minigold is a top jewelry retailer in Korea, ranked highly in the Korea Brand Power Index since its inception in 1978. The brand's designs are largely influenced by the patterns, nature and architecture of Korea, and also pay homage to its culture, as is the case with its collection of Korean couple rings online. Almost all its pieces are produced from recycled materials.

Naschenka

Photo: Naschenka

The Seoul-based brand has both an online storefront and an Etsy shop, offering a wide collection of paired bands traditionally worn by unmarried and married Korean women, as well as a handful of rings that work as partner rings. The brand is known for its Korean jewelry and has even adorned K-pop stars and other celebrities.

La Bouclette

Photo: La Bouclette

Founded by a Korean designer with a French name (meaning "little earring"), La Bouclette exists with the goal of bringing Korean culture worldwide. That includes Korean couple culture, and La Bouclette offers a few varieties that would work beautifully as Korean couples' rings, including one with name engravings in it (each partner could wear the other's name).

Sett

Photo: Sett

The idea of couples' rings in Korean culture is partly derived from Western culture, and fittingly, a few Western brands make couples' rings, as well. Men's jewelry brand Sett offers a really unique one, in which the couple's first initials are carved out of the rings together, so that they can only be read when the rings are laid side by side.

Etsy

Photo: JJem Story

Etsy has a treasure trove of unique Korean couples ring offerings. A few shops to check out? JJem Story creates engraved wood couples rings out of Busan, South Korea; Charm Gift Design has cute Korean couple rings made from titanium and engraved with a half heart on each; Kaelus has Korean name rings and loads of jewelry pieces with other traditional motifs.