
As a Korean myself, here are my top Korean etiquette tips that you should know before heading off to Seoul! In this guide, we cover Korean greeting etiquette, dining and drinking etiquette, and business etiquette so that you can form good relationships and not come off as a prick!
Once I moved to the U.S., I realized just how different typical Korean etiquette was compared to the norms in the states. I’m here to share proper Korean etiquette that’ll help you socialize and bond more easily with Koreans.
Check out my 15 tips on important Korean etiquette!
Looking for cool neighborhoods to visit in Korea? Here is a guide to the 5 Best Seoul Neighborhoods!
Basic Korean Culture
Underpinning Korean etiquette and manners are Korean cultural concepts that may be new to you. Let’s go over a few before getting into the specific tips!
Foreigners aren’t expected to follow cultural norms
Korea is a very old country with many complex spoken and unspoken cultural norms. Do know that Koreans do not expect foreigners to understand all of the nuances and will forgive you if you do something that departs from Korean cultural norms.
With that being said, I know you’re here to learn about Korean etiquette norms, so let’s get started with some Korean cultural facts.
Observe & Follow fellow Koreans
In Korea, there is a term called “boon-wee-gee” that roughly translates to the atmosphere of a situation. It’s also about how people are feeling, and how they are responding to each other in the specific situation they are in.
Understanding and acting in accordance to the boon-wee-gee is an important part of Korean social life. You need the “noon-chee,” or the observational EQ, to understand the nuances of a Korean social situation. For example, if someone is letting an older or elderly person lead the overall conversation, then you should notice that this person is an important member of the group, and let them take the lead in other aspects of the social situation you’re in.
By not doing so, you risk making someone’s “gee-boon,” or emotional state, turn sour.
Respect toward Elders
Korean society is a lot more hierarchical by age than in Western cultures. There is a respect and deference towards not only elders, but also people who are older than you (even if it’s not by that many years!).
If this is confusing, then just observe other Koreans and emulate how they are interacting with the older people (or more senior businesspeople) in the room.
Korean “Jung,” or Warmth
When you first meet a Korean, it could be that they aren’t asking you a ton of questions about your life, which departs from American cultural norms. But if you trust the same mutual friends, or get the chance to chat over a drink, then you might get to experience more of the warmth of Koreans, who can be pretty open with you from the get-go.
Koreans have a lot of “jung,” which roughly translates to the warm feeling of kinship with others. Koreans can be dramatic and get emotional about small interpersonal issues, but if you’re on their good side, they can have a lot of jung toward you and can make pretty loyal and emotionally supportive friends!
Looking for interesting things to do in South Korea? Check out my tips on the 10 Best Non-Touristy Things To Do in Seoul!
Korean Greeting Etiquette

1. Do a Small Bow to Say Hello
In the Western world, bowing is usually reserved for occasions like closing out a musical or dance show. In South Korea, bowing is part of everyday life. But we’re not talking about a deep, full bow.
Instead, you should do an intentional, but short nod as you say hello. If you’re in a group setting, you should do a short nod to acknowledge each person.
You should do this short bow pretty much any time you greet or say goodbye to people, such as when you meet someone for the first time, start a business meeting, or say goodbye to a shopkeeper.
2. No shoes inside the Home
In the Western world, it’s pretty normal to wear shoes inside the home. But in South Korea, it’s definitely not okay to wear shoes inside the home, so make sure you take them off before entering!
In Korean homes, there is usually a small ledge that separates the shoe cabinet area, where the flooring is made of smooth stone tiles that are easy to clean. There’s usually a small bench that you can sit on while taking your shoes off. Leave your shoes in this separate area, before stepping up a half step onto the rest of the apartment, which typically has wooden flooring.
3. How to say Goodbye to a Shopkeeper
When you leave a small business, like a shop or restaurant, it’s pretty typical in the Western world to say, “Thank you,” or “Have a good day.”
In Korea, many people say “Soo-go ha-seh-yo,” which roughly translates to, “Thank you for your efforts, and keep it up.” I know, it’s wild how so much can be packed in such few syllables, but that is part of the beauty of the Korean language!
”Soo-go ha-seh-yo” is different from the typical Korean greeting, “An-nyong ha-seh-yo,” and is reserved for saying a polite thank you and goodbye to a shopkeeper, shop associate or service provider.
Korean Eating Etiquette

4. It’s not rude to wave over the server
If you’re at a fancy Korean restaurant, then the servers are going to probably check in with you themselves. But at most mid-tier and casual Korean restaurants, you’re probably going to have to call the server over yourself. Know that waving down the server is not considered rude in South Korea!
I remember when I first moved to the U.S., my friends said, “What are you doing?!” when I impatiently waved down the server to order. I didn’t realize that in the Western world, unlike in Korea, calling down the server is generally considered rude.
In Korea, it’s very normal to not only put your hand up in the air (and even wave it around!) to get the server’s attention.
At a casual Korean restaurant, including at Korean BBQ spots, it’s actually very normal to call out “Auntie” or “Uncle” to wave down the servers as well!
“Auntie” is most commonly referred to as “Ah-joom-ma,” which is a slightly crass term for a woman in her middle-aged years. Slightly more polite than that is “Ee-mo,” which is what you would call your own auntie.
”Uncle” is pronounced “Ah-juh-she,” which is the general term for a middle-aged man.
If you’re calling out to the restaurant owner, then you can reference them as “sah-jang-neem” if they are male, and “sah-mo-neem” if they are female, which both translate to boss or owner in this context.
5. Water is often self-served
At many cafes and mid-tier and casual restaurants, drinking water is self-served.
If you notice that your server isn’t pouring you water, then look around and you’ll probably find a shared large water jug, or even a large refrigerator with water jugs inside (take one for your table!).
6. Free wet napkins are common
At many restaurants, the server will give you disposable wet napkins to wipe your hands. While the individual packaging is probably not good for the environment, the wet napkins do make it easy to “wash” your hands before eating.
If they don’t give it to you first, it’s very likely that you can request some and they’ll have it in stock.
7. Free refillable sides are common at Korean restaurants

If you dine at a Korean restaurant, they are probably going to give you “ban-chan,” or a few small complimentary dishes, which you can snack on before and during your meal. You can usually ask for refills without any extra charge!
The ban-chan are usually pickled or brined veggies (which can be compared to the way sauerkraut often comes with burgers). Common ban-chan include thin strips of fish cake called “oh-deng,” dried and seasoned small anchovies called “myull-chee,” and potato salad.
Sometimes, at very casual Korean restaurants, the ban-chan is self-served, and can be found next to the self-served water.
8. Portion out family-style food for your fellow diners

In Korea, it’s more common than in the Western world to order “family-style” (ordering multiple dishes to share among a group).
If you order family-style (commonly for dishes like Korean soups, large pan-fried pancakes and meat dishes), then it is polite to help portion out the food and place it onto your fellow diners’ dishes, similar to how you help cut and distribute cake at a birthday party. Of course, you can ask your fellow diners how much food they want on their plates.
If you are dining with older people, such as parents, relatives or grandparents, then you should serve them first.
9. Wait until the oldest person starts eating
If you are dining in a big group that includes people who are older, then you should wait to eat until everyone has food on their plate, and the oldest person has started eating.
This isn’t very important if you’re in a group where everyone is relatively the same age (in that case, just wait until everyone is first served).
Abiding by this Korean cultural norm is more important if you’re part of a big family gathering or a more formal dining situation.
10. Tip is already included in the bill
Tipping culture is huge in the U.S. Know that in Korean, there is no need to pay a separate tip on top of the price of your goods. This is because tip is already included in the bill as a flat service charge of around 10-15%. You should see this service charge notice on the menu and/or on your receipt.
Many mom-and-pop small businesses do not charge this service fee. However, there is no tipping culture at these more casual restaurants either.
Along with tax, any service charge is already embedded in the price of dishes, meaning that your final bill is always a simple summation of the dishes you ordered (no need to add 20% tip and 8% for tax on top of the meal price!).
The few instances where you do tip include when valet parking. Even still, you are expected to tip a flat, small amount of around 3,000-5000 won (2.25-3.75 USD). If you’re at a fancy location, like a hotel, you could choose to pay more tip for valet parking, probably at a maximum of 10,000 won (7.50 USD), but that is only if you received exceptional service.
11. Pay at the counter
At many mid-tier and casual Korean restaurants, you will need to pay your bill at the counter near the restaurant entrance. There are many restaurants where you can pay at the table, but if you’ve finished your meal and your server isn’t approaching you, it is probably a good idea to ask if you should pay at the counter.
You could interpret this as a lack of service, but I think there’s something nice about finishing a pleasant meal, and dealing with its monetary costs in a separate place.
Have you ever felt that slightly awkward feeling when the check arrives, and you and your fellow diners need to figure out how you’re going to pay? By paying at the counter, you can finish your meal in peace, and figure out those nitty gritty details right before you leave, at the counter.
Korean Drinking Etiquette
12. If someone pours you a drink, you should drink it (within reason!)
Koreans drink a lot. The cultural norm is that if someone pours you a drink, then you should drink it, especially if that person is older than you. But of course, this is within reason. If you don’t want to drink, you say no before they start pouring!
In the U.S., not everybody drinks. In Korea, I think a higher percentage of people are open for a drink or two, regardless of whether you are a more social or shier person.
13. Receive drink pours with two hands
The same way that it’s common for Koreans to help portion out family-style dishes, it’s also common for Koreans to pour drinks into other people’s cups. If someone is pouring a drink for you, receive it with both hands!
Of course, if the cup is on the table, it will be hard to do so. But if someone much older than you (or more senior than you in a business setting) is pouring your drink, then you should politely lift the glass off the table and hold it with both of your hands, while receiving the drink with a slight bow/nod of the head to show your appreciation.
14. Shots are more common
In the U.S., drinking shots is usually reserved for an intense party or pre-game.
In Korea, however, drinking shots is pretty common. Koreans drink a lot of soju in shot form. Soju is a clear Korean alcohol not dissimilar to vodka, except that it usually has a lower alcohol content of around 15-25% (usually higher than wine).
It’s not uncommon for older couples to share a bottle of soju over dinner almost every night (I would not recommend this!). This gives you perspective on how much more commonplace heavy drinking is in Korea!
Korean Etiquette in Business
15. Koreans get into the details of a contract
Koreans like to get into the weeds of a contract and ensure that they agree with the specifics. This is especially true when Koreans work with foreign businesses.
While Koreans tend to be more flexible in negotiations, that flexibility tends to be reserved for more Korean-to-Korean business deals, rather than those with a foreign business.
Note that the business savvy of Korean businesses depends on the size and maturity of the business. For example, huge Korean conglomerates, many of which are Korean “chaebols,” or huge family businesses, tend to have a lot of negotiation experience.
However, certain entertainment and fashion companies (despite how big and lucrative the K-Pop industry is) may lack some of that business savvy. I do want to note though, that varying levels of business savvy is something found in pretty much any country in the world.
16. Lack of trust hurts international business deals
Many Korean JVs (joint ventures) with U.S. and European businesses tend to fail. Ultimately, that boils down to the fundamental lack of trust between the parties involved.
As you may have noticed by now, Korean culture is complex, and there are many etiquette norms that are very nuanced and hard to decipher. This makes cracking the code to develop strong, trusting Korean relationships challenging for foreigners. The fact that Korea is a culturally homogenous country probably makes it even more challenging to break through.
In addition, this lack of a strong relationship can also cause issues in the Korean offices of foreign businesses. For example, if you choose to send a representative from HQ to lead your Korean office, they may experience transparency issues and have a hard time understanding what is really going on among locally-hired Korean employees.
17. Koreans are adept at seizing opportunities & move fast
South Korea experienced massive growth in its economy after being ravaged post World War II and post Korean War. Today, South Korea is part of the G20 as one of the 20 largest economies in the world. That unprecedented growth has been possible because Koreans tend to move fast and are eager to seize opportunities.
From my experience, American business can be slow. Decisions are made with many processes in place, and often need to go through many layers of approval before being finalized. There are definitely pros to having a rigid process with checks and balances. But one of the obvious cons is that it often makes the timeline of closing deals drawn out and long.
I am sure working with a large Korean conglomerate or business could take a long time due to similar layers of corporate bureaucracy. But at large, Koreans are willing to figure something out quickly if there is a potentially lucrative opportunity lying between you.
Korean Funeral Etiquette
You may be going to Korea for a funeral. I am very sorry for your loss if this is the case.
Here are some Korean funeral norms, which are pretty different from how things work in Western countries.
18. No shoes inside the funeral procession
You must take your shoes off before entering the main room where the funeral is happening. Remember to wear socks (or stockings) to cover your feet, as it is not okay to enter the funeral with bare feet (relevant in the warmer months).
19. Prepare condolence money
If you have not already received instructions about wiring condolence money, then you should prepare to bring cash in an envelope to the funeral.
You should prepare 100,000-200,000 won (~75-150 USD), depending on your relationship with the person who passed or their family members. Do write your name and the recipient’s name on the envelope.
When you arrive at the funeral, you will see a location where you can leave your condolence money.
20. Bow twice with your knees and head on the floor
Go to the funeral and observe how the fellow Korean guests are paying their respects. You will notice that people will be taking turns bowing twice in front of the image of the person who passed. These bows are not the simple nods that are used as greetings. These are very serious, proper bows.
Once it is your turn, and you are in front of the image of the person who passed, bow by placing both of your knees on the floor. Bring your hands together in front of you, on the floor, and bow your head all the way down to your hands. Afterward, stand up and ensure you do it twice in total.
Korean Etiquette Tips (Conclusion)
In this guide, we discussed common Korean etiquette tips for foreigners. Here is a summary of my 20 Korean etiquette tips!
Korean Greeting Etiquette
- Do a small bow to say hello
- No shoes inside the home
- How to say goodbye to a shopkeeper
- It’s not rude to wave over the server
- Water is often self-served
- Free wet napkins are common
- Free refillable sides are common at Korean restaurants
- Portion out family-style food for your fellow diners
- Wait until the oldest person starts eating
- Tip is already included in the bill
- Pay at the counter
- If someone pours you a drink, you should drink it (within reason!)
- Receive drink pours with two hands
- Shots are more common
- Koreans get into the details of a contract
- Lack of trust hurts international business deals
- Koreans are adept at seizing opportunities & move fast
- No shoes inside the funeral procession
- Prepare condolence money
- Bow twice with your knees and head on the floor
Thanks for checking out my guide on South Korean etiquette!
Figuring out how to get around Seoul? Check out this comprehensive guide!
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