South Korea's AI boom is reshaping society: chip industry professionals are becoming the new preferred partners, related reality shows are gaining popularity, and university major choices are shifting.

In South Korea, the AI boom is reshaping people's preferences in dating, entertainment content, and academic choices. Dating agencies report that traditionally sought-after professions like doctors and lawyers are being supplanted by employees from chip companies such as Samsung and SK Hynix. These "new darlings" of the dating market are attractive due to generous bonuses, with SK Hynix employees, for example, receiving an average of approximately $500,000 in bonuses last year.

Inspired by this trend, the YouTube channel Teo launched a dating reality show matching Samsung and SK Hynix employees, which has garnered around 650,000 views. Netflix also released a variety show documenting a comedian's stock trading journey, including a segment on purchasing SK Hynix shares. Furthermore, at South Korea's top institution, Seoul National University, the popularity of Electrical and Computer Engineering has surged, with 90% of undeclared engineering students choosing the major this year, a significant increase from 20% in 2023.