Dating is a phase of intense romantic interactions practised especially in Western societies through which two individuals meet socially, with the intention of each evaluating the other’s compatibility as a potential partner in a potentially romantic relationship in the future. It is considered a fun activity where friends get together and indulge in common activities such as dress-ups, playing games, casual dating, dancing, drinking and eating. In some Asian societies, however, dating has a more serious connotation, as it is associated with brokering business among friends or family members. This means that when a single individual seeks out a friend to date, the friendship depends solely on the two individuals, without the need for any outside influence such as societal pressures. In East Asia, dating is viewed to be more serious, and it is usually an arranged affair. In some instances, the term dating can also be used to indicate pre-engagement, which is an arranged engagement between a young person and someone whom she or he may consider to be his or her true love.

What does ‘dating’ mean, then, in the context of an East Asia dating scenario? According to locals, it often involves some form of a negotiation, where the two individuals try to determine who would say yes to the proposal of going out on a date. If the offer is accepted, the date is set, and they go out for a date in hopes of establishing a relationship that could lead to marriage in the future. The terms are generally agreed upon before the date is set, and they are never mutually agreed upon before the date, so that whatever you say to your Asian dates during this phase of the relationship, they would say with a smile, agreeing that dating is indeed fun.

Furthermore, what older Americans would say about online dating is that, yes, Asian girls do prefer to hook up with young guys. Some of them would even say that their own families would not approve of them dating foreign men, but there seems to be something very attractive about young Asian men, at least according to these women. What is it about these men that are able to draw these kinds of women in, who in turn say that they would date only if they were with an Asian man? Many of these women may even have considered trying out online dating at one point or another in their lives, but they did not jump into it until they found the right type of man to date.