Ha ha, interesting question, and I understand you perfectly. I think saying "I love you" is not as common in the eastern culture as in the west. Not because they love less, but they just feel it is not necessary. It is like, do you need to say that to make that known. Isn't it obvious like the sky? There is a differing viewpoint of course, like "It is important enough to say it even when it is obvious". Personally, I am like you, and I've never said "I love you" in my life. It just feels awkward and cloying to put it in verbal words, but I know that's just me. When I was growing up in Korea decades ago, a lot (most?) people were like me. Love was usually expressed through actions and the looks on your face, not by that phrase. I hardly remember hearing "I love you" in real life in my youth, and not that often even in Korean dramas and movies. But then things changed and Koreans started saying "I love you" much more commonly. Many casually throw "사랑해요" at award acceptance speeches for example. One can say they became more direct and expressive - maybe a good thing, I don't know. But the funny thing is that the divorce rate in Korea is way higher now than in the old days. So saying "I love you" more often doesn't seem to have brought people closer together :-)

I say "I love you," to my spouse, adult children, and grandchildren. If they say it to me first, I reply "I love you, too." My parents said it to me.

Some people never say it; they just show their love through how they treat other people.