"... Gokon, a Japanese concept where the lovelorn opt to date in packs, is starting to catch on in Australia as daters look for ways to hedge their bets on the romantic front.

Siang Kurk, from website Gokonnect, said gokon dating had an element of the blind date to it.

‘‘The idea is to set up an event on a calendar and other members can then sign up to attend, and then you turn up with your friends and you meet the other members and their friends,’’ he said.

‘‘You bring a friend along with you so you’ve got that safety net, and my view is that sort of helps break the ice and it’s not as nerve-racking as a one-on-one blind date.

‘‘It widens your scope and also increases the chance of meeting someone, because not only do you meet the person who organised it but also that person’s friend.’’

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Kurk said the gokon concept did not have to be purely dating, with many people using the concept to make friends or to network.