In a new trend, Korean newspapers are publishing a growing number of ads in which men declare their love for their wives.

Poong-ho Ha, 51, of the Joongang Funeral Company recently placed an ad in the New York Korean Times expressing his deep love for his wife on their 25th anniversary. He ran the ad without her knowledge and surprised her by showing it to her later.

Yong-jun Ahn, 35, a manager of a Tae-Kwon-Do school and a New Jersey resident wrote a love poem to his wife about the first time they met, and published it as a newspaper ad.

Expressing emotions and feelings in any public manner is untraditional in the community. Korean men are usually very reluctant to boast about their wives and are embarrassed by public gestures of affection. In fact, those who did engage in such practices were considered foolish and ill mannered. But now men have opened up, and are even being praised in their peer group for bold gestures.

Ahn placed his ad under the title “News Flash.” He “reported” his first meeting with his wife 17 years ago when they were high school students. He recounted the two of them immigrating to the United States as students, settling down as a family, and having children together. He expressed his appreciation for his wife and her remaining with him through thick and thin. “My wife, Sung-eun Yun: I love you more than my life in this world.”

Ahn said his wife was impressed greatly by the poem.

The Ahns celebrated their first meeting on October 8, a date that is as important to them as their wedding date. They married in 1992, after six years of courtship. Yun is a graduate of FIT in New York, and has been working as a designer. They have two children.