International Marriage vs Mental and Financial Health

I would be lying if I said it didn't cross my mind that my Korean guy is especially interested in me as I may be "the ticket" out of Korea. He has voiced his disappointment with the Korean system many times, even prior to meeting him in his emails. When I met him, I heard laundry lists of how his morals, viewpoints and aspirations aren't being met in Korea, despite his love for his country. He is a one of those political types where laws, policy making and where the powers fall short are his favorite thing to rant about. I do not follow politics and have a hard time understanding how one can lose sleep over something I can't directly control.

When it comes to marriage for Canadians, how can they trust people that they marry overseas? When the couple comes back to Canada, the foreign bride/groom is "home free" and automatically given Canadian status where the Canadian spouse is financially responsible for the person for 3 years, even if the marriage doesn't last a day in Canada. I've seen it...I live in a big city. I have a friend who married to leave her country and come to Canada then divorced weeks afterward. I also have a friend who married someone overseas, brought her to Canada and just now was presented with a $23 K bill from the government for the 3 years she tallied up on being on social assistance after divorcing him.

There's no guarantee that any marriage will last. But thinking about the risks of marrying overseas, it's huge.
I admit that Canada is awesome, and I can completely understand how people in another country that was overcrowded and lacked social services would likely look to get out through marriage...it way be the only way out. But what about us starry eyed Canadians, who on the most part and friendly and straight forward, trusting and "nice"? Are we destined to be screwed over...have the wool pulled over our eyes by a sexy, foreign stranger who is business savvy(especially in Korea, where working unfathomable hours are a way of survival),willing and able to "play the part" and pretend that we are the only one for them? Sure, true love happens...I'm not a total pessimist. I just wonder how the hell are we suppose to know what is "true love and destiny" and what is just really great acting? Someone "in love" is in an altered mental state and can be fooled sooo easily...