Semanur Kutanis (21), a physically disabled Turkish woman from the northern region of Black Sea province Rize, decided to tie not with South Korean Koo Dongwan (25), whom she met via a social media platform five years ago.
Dongwan, covering a distance of 7,300 kilometers (4,536 miles) from South Korea to the Ardeşen district of Rize, was warmly welcomed by the Turkish family and organized an engagement ceremony for the duo.
"Dongwan has visited Türkiye twice before, but this time, he came to formally ask for my hand. We are also planning to have our wedding in the next two years, and then he will stay in Türkiye forever," she expressed.
"I first told my mother about it. My mother was my supporter. Then I told my aunts. They didn't find it strange because I am someone who loves different cultures anyway. But it was really hard to reveal this to my father face to face. Hence, I decided to write a letter to him about the situation, First, he didn't agree, but later my mother, aunts and I convinced him. They said, 'If you live here after your marriage, we have no problem, we don't want you to leave," she explained.
On the other hand, Dongwan said: "We met through my sister. When I learned that she was disabled, it didn't change my feelings for her. Thanks to her, I came to know Türkiye and now I love Turks, they are very hospitable and helpful. The decision to settle in Türkiye was not difficult for me at all. I love the music of the Black Sea region, and I have learned to play the horn (for folk music). I learned that distance is not an obstacle for love," he expressed.
At their engagement, Dongwan reverted to Islam, and this program was attended by the district mufti, Mehmet Genç, and was given an Islamic name, Muhammet Ali.
