How to be a Good Guest in Korea

Every culture is different. When you visit a new country, you want to show respect as you experience a new culture and meet new people.

Are you visiting Korea? Or perhaps you are moving or already living there? If you’ve been invited to a party or dinner by local Koreans, this post will give you tips to make sure you are a good guest, showing respect to your hosts. These are tips on Korean etiquette to remember when visiting this culture that is several thousands years old.

How to be a Good Guest in Korea

• Avoid eye contact. Unlike Western culture, looking into an acquaintance’s eyes is generally considered not polite. This is slowly changing though.
• When presenting gifts, paying a bill, or pouring a drink be sure to use your right hand. Using the left hand is considered rude, but Koreans do understand that Western culture is different.
• It is considered insulting to point the index finger toward a person or gesture with your foot. Instead, gesture with you full hand, palm upward.
• Never write someone’s name in red ink. In Korea, names written in red means death.
• When invited to dine at someone’s home, always bring a gift. When presenting the gift, use your right hand. Place your left hand below your right forearm near your elbow.
• When you are shaking the hand of someone older than you or an authority figure, place your left hand below your right forearm near your elbow. This shows respect.
• When entering a Korean home or a restaurant with low tables, take your shoes off near the door.
• Do not start eating before the guest of honor or anyone who is older than you.
• If you don’t drink alcohol and you are offered a drink, do not say “I don’t drink.” Instead, it is more polite to say you are not feeling well or you are the designated driver.
• Do not eat or drink without offering your food or beverage to your colleagues. Never pour your own drink. Pour someone else’s drink, and they should pour yours.
• If you have a Korean guest in your home, ask them more than once to help themselves to more food and drink.
• When a Korean guest is leaving your home, see them off at the gate and stay there until the guest is gone.
• Do not suggest splitting the bill. Instead, take turns paying the bill.
• Koreans may want to touch or hold your children. Koreans love children and consider them everyone’s treasure to cherish and protect.
• A generous evening meal usually consists of 15 or 20 dishes for special occasions. Food is usually eaten with a pair of chopsticks and a large spoon.
• Holiday celebrations are very important in Korea, and all the celebrations center on the home. Women can spend hours preparing the traditional dishes.
• At an elegant Korean dinner, the first course might be Ku-jol-pan (nine compartments dish). It is somewhat similar to a French hors doeuvre tray. The cooked meat and vegetables are arranged on a large platter with a mound of pancakes in the center.

For more information about South Korea, check out this Pinterest board.

You may also like:

• A Guide to Korean Food
• Common Phrases in Korean
• South Korean Culture