It's not a place that you mentioned, but maybe try Taiwan? I used to live in Taipei, it'll be cheaper than Seoul, and maybe scratch a bit of that Chinese itch, but you'll instead be in a vibrant democracy that doesn't require a special visa if you're an American passport holder. Dating scene was very good to me and if you're contemplating heading to the Philippines anyways, you'll meet tons of Filipinas on dating apps in Taiwan. It's where I met my Filipina wife a few years ago.
It's not a place that you mentioned, but maybe try Taiwan? I used to live in Taipei, it'll be cheaper than Seoul, and maybe scratch a bit of that Chinese itch, but you'll instead be in a vibrant democracy that doesn't require a special visa if you're an American passport holder. Dating scene was very good to me and if you're contemplating heading to the Philippines anyways, you'll meet tons of Filipinas on dating apps in Taiwan. It's where I met my Filipina wife a few years ago.