It took only three months for the happy couple to walk down the aisle. Short as it was, the courting period was unforgettable for the bride and groom, both of whom are employed at SK Hynix.

They declined to be identified, but at SK Hynix, they have garnered recognition as the couple who met through the company’s “happy matchmaking program.”

Speaking about the series of memorable events they went through before tying the knot, the bride said that she accidentally flushed her engagement ring down the toilet.

“We had to change our honeymoon venue from Europe to Southeast Asia to buy another one,” she said with a laugh.

“I sort of felt bad about having proposed in such a rush, so I always carried the ring with me, looking for ways to throw an unforgettable, romantic event,” her husband added.

He also recalled what he remembered as a particularly loving gesture from his wife: “One day my mother received a box of fresh paprika signed ‘your loving daughter’ from my wife. This was before we got married. I couldn’t help running to her although we’d said goodbye only 30 minutes before.”

Once the couple decided to get married, their colleagues organized a task force to undertake all the necessary preparations: arranging the wedding, greeting the wedding guests, shooting videos and taking photos. 

In traditional Korean corporate culture, dating or marrying colleagues has been considered somewhat taboo, since the bride often ended up quitting her job to become a housewife.

But SK Hynix says it has a completely different view about work and happiness.

“When a married couple work at a same company with a same goal, they tend to work harder and bear higher corporate loyalty,” said SK Hynix corporate culture team head Lee Hyun-soo.

Besides the seasonal “happy matchmaking plan” that began in May 2012, SK Hynix pushed for campaigns to show its support for its employees. The firm issued family invitations for SK Wyverns baseball games and hosted a series of events such as the Superstar Singing Contest, summer school programs and other family contests.

In April last year, SK Hynix president and chief executive Kwon Oh-chul took a total of 2,000 employees and their families on an outing to Incheon Munhak Stadium to enjoy an SK Wyverns baseball game.

In August the company organized a family event called “happy family project,” hosting multiple cultural programs and performances.

The semiconductor maker has also invited SK Hynix employees and their families to SK Telecom T.um ― an experience zone for the latest high-tech services and devices ― and COEX Aquarium, Incheon Munhak Stadium.

English camps in its Icheon English Village and summer vacation photo and essay contests also presented SK Hynix families with unforgettable memories, inside and outside of the company.

The company is enthusiastic about encouraging employees to participate in the seasonal Superstar Singing Contest, one of SK’s most popular happiness management programs, where they can show off their passion and gift for singing.

The final for the latest season of Superstar Singing Contest will be held in November. The contest has been aired on SK gbs, a broadcasting division in and for SK. Everyone at SK Hynix simply can’t wait to see the final and support their colleagues, an SK Hynix official said.

By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldcorp.com)