Long before dating apps became the norm for meeting new people, many singles relied on matchmaking agencies to find potential partners. Well, it looks like this old-school dating method is making a comeback, thanks to a viral video on Reddit showing a South African visitor getting hounded by locals in China’s marriage matchmaking market.
For the unacquainted, Chongqing People’s Park is known to host a matchmaking corner every weekend for singles in China to find potential partners. The park is filled with eager parents and matchmakers displaying information about their “customers” in the hope of finding someone who checks off their lists.
Since most people at the park are there for business, it is not surprising to see that one matchmaker was bombarding a South African visitor with personal questions in the viral video. She actively asked if he owned a house in Chongqing, his occupation, salary, and age, all the while managing three phones in her hands.
FYI, she was using the phones to contact all her clients, suggesting the number of singles she was trying to matchmaker.
To ensure that the candidate fits the bill for her clients, the matchmaker continued digging into his relationship history, asking if he had ever dated someone from Chongqing. Dating apps seem like a walk in the park, compared to this.
As also seen in the video, the matchmaker rushed her clients to meet the South African, telling them that she was “holding the line for them”. Chances are, she didn’t want the 28-year-old to be “snatched” away by others, and had plans to match her clients with him.
The video ended before we got to know if he had matched with anyone, but fingers crossed that he did, and it was someone who was sincerely interested in him.
While such matchmaking markets are typically unheard of in Singapore, you might be surprised to know that MacPherson Community Club once hosted a cupid event for singles back in 2022.
The event received an overwhelming response, and MacPherson Community Club made an announcement later, sharing that all the spots had been taken up. To ensure that the event would run smoothly, the organisers also conducted a phone screening test for participants.
Perhaps with this successful event in mind, more communities and clubs in Singapore can look into hosting similar events for singles. After all, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and it’d be nice to have a special someone to spend the day with.
Whether you prefer to swipe at potential matches using dating apps or look out for suitors IRL, every dating method has its pros and cons. The matchmaking market in China is no doubt an eye-opener, and fingers crossed that the trend catches on in Singapore to help unlucky singletons.
Cover: Source
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