Basic Korean etiquette
You don't need to be perfect. Visible effort is more than enough.
Basic greetings
- "안녕하세요" — on meeting, with a slight bow.
- "감사합니다" — thank you.
- "죄송합니다" — sorry.
- "수고하셨습니다" — after work is done (to seniors, "고생 많으셨습니다").
- "실례합니다" — excuse me, when passing or interrupting.
Common gestures
- Give and receive with two hands — objects, business cards, money, cups.
- Business cards — offer with both hands, and look at one you receive rather than pocketing it at once.
- Drinks — hold your cup with two hands when a senior pours. See drinking-culture.
- Shoes — removed in homes and in some restaurants and temples.
- In front of elders — crossing your legs or hands in pockets is better avoided.
At the table
- Wait until the eldest picks up their spoon.
- Don't lift the rice bowl to eat.
- Don't hold spoon and chopsticks together in one hand.
- Never stand chopsticks upright in rice — it evokes memorial rites.
- For shared dishes, serving onto your own plate is appreciated.
In practice
- Ask when unsure. "What should I do here?" breaks no rule of etiquette.
- If you slip up, "죄송합니다" resolves most situations.
- Say in advance what you cannot do for religious or cultural reasons — people usually accommodate it.
Questions people ask
People ask my age — is that rude? In Korea it is often asked to settle forms of address and speech level. If uncomfortable, an approximate answer is fine. See age-honorifics.
Must I use honorific speech? Adding "~요" is already polite enough. It doesn't have to be perfect.
I can't drink at work dinners. Saying "술을 못 합니다" (I can't drink) is enough. Pressuring you is not acceptable. See drinking-culture.
When are gifts given? Typically when invited to someone's home, at holidays, and to say thank you. See gift-culture.
Take care
Don't shrink from every etiquette mistake. Most people understand a foreign resident's slips. Conversely, if someone is rude to you "because you're a foreigner", that is their problem. Where discrimination is repeated, you can consult 1331 (National Human Rights Commission).
Related
age-honorifics · gift-culture · drinking-culture · restaurant-etiquette · chuseok-seollal
Source
Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Danuri portal www.liveinkorea.kr / As of 2026-08