Korean etiquette: the do’s and don’ts every visitor should know

Koreans are generally patient with visitors who make honest mistakes. Knowing a few customs, though, makes every interaction smoother and shows respect. Here is what matters most.

Greetings and politeness

• A small bow with a hello is the normal greeting. A slight nod of the head is enough in shops and restaurants.
• Use two hands when you give or receive something important, such as money, a card or a gift. Holding your right wrist or forearm with your left hand while passing something with your right also shows respect.
• Age matters. Older people are treated with extra respect. Let them enter first and offer them your seat.
• Do not write someone’s name in red ink. It is traditionally linked to death.

Eating out

Ordering and paying

• Many restaurants have a call button on the table. Press it, or say 저기요 (jeogiyo), to call staff.
• More and more places use tablet or kiosk ordering. Most have an English option in a corner of the screen.
• You usually pay at the counter by the door when you leave, not at the table.
• Tipping is not expected and can cause confusion.
• Some barbecue and stew restaurants have a two-portion minimum. Check the menu if you are eating alone.

Image coming soon restaurant-call-button.jpg

At the table

• Side dishes (banchan) are free and usually refilled on request. Some restaurants have a self-service corner for refills.
• Water is free. It is often self-service, with cups in a sterilizer cabinet.
• Do not stick your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice. It looks like incense at a funeral.
• Wait for the oldest person to start eating before you begin.
• When drinking with older people, turn your head slightly away as you drink, and pour drinks for others rather than yourself.

Public transport

• Leave priority seats at the ends of each subway car free for older people, people with disabilities and pregnant women, even when the train is full.
• Pink seats are reserved for pregnant women.
• Keep phone calls short and quiet. Eating on the subway is frowned upon.
• Wear your backpack on your front in crowded trains.
• Let people get off before you get on, and queue at the marked lines on the platform.

Shoes off

Take your shoes off when you enter a home, many guesthouses, some traditional restaurants with floor seating, and temple halls. Look for a step up or a shoe rack at the entrance. Wearing clean socks helps.

Bathhouses and saunas (jjimjilbang)

• Shower thoroughly before getting into any bath.
• Baths are single-sex and fully nude. Swimsuits are not worn in the bathing area.
• Tie long hair up so it does not touch the water.
• Some facilities ask people with large tattoos to cover them or may refuse entry. Rules vary, so check first.

Temples and palaces

• Speak quietly, and do not walk through the central doorway of temple halls, which is traditionally for monks.
• Ask before taking photos of monks or people praying.
• In Bukchon Hanok Village, people live in the houses. Keep your voice down, do not open gates, and respect visiting hours.

Streets and public places

• Public bins are rare. Carry a small bag for your trash. Where you do find bins, sort recyclables from general waste.
• Smoking is only allowed in designated smoking areas. You can be fined for smoking elsewhere.
• Do not jaywalk. Use crossings and wait for the green light.
• Ask before you photograph people, especially children.

Conversation

• People may ask your age or whether you are married. It is a way to work out how to speak to you politely, not nosiness.
• Avoid discussing North Korea, Japan’s colonial history or politics casually unless your host brings it up.
• Personal space on busy streets and trains is smaller than you may be used to. A gentle bump is not rude here.

Quick checklist

• Bow slightly and say 감사합니다 often.
• Use two hands for money and gifts.
• Leave priority seats free.
• Take shoes off where you see a shoe rack.
• Do not tip, and do not leave chopsticks upright in rice.
• Carry your trash with you.

Prices, timetables and rules in Korea change often. We check this guide regularly, but please confirm details with the official sources linked above before you travel.