Begin with ordinary courtesy
A polite greeting and a small bow or nod work well in many everyday interactions. You do not need to calculate a bowing angle or imitate a formal ceremony when entering a shop.
Seoul's visitor etiquette guidance recommends a short bow, using both hands to give or receive objects, and avoiding pointing at people. Treat these as helpful courtesies rather than a script for every exchange.
Give and receive with both hands
Use both hands when passing a gift, business card or drink in a polite or formal exchange. Another common gesture is to use your right hand while lightly supporting the right forearm with your left hand.
People also use one hand in casual situations or when carrying something. You do not need to worry about every small movement; respond courteously and adapt to what you can comfortably do.
When someone offers a handshake, you can accompany it with a slight nod. Formal kneeling bows belong to particular ceremonies and family occasions, where a host can explain what is appropriate.
Indicate a direction without pointing at a person
An open hand is a courteous way to indicate a direction or object. Avoid aiming a finger at someone's face or beckoning to an adult with a single curled finger, which can seem dismissive.
A palm-down gesture is commonly used to beckon, but a spoken 저기요, meaning “Excuse me”, is often clearer when asking for attention. In a restaurant, use a table call button if one is provided.
Be considerate at the table
Follow your host's lead about when to begin, especially at a formal meal with older people. Use serving utensils where provided and transfer shared food to your own plate.
Do not stand chopsticks upright in rice, as the gesture has associations with offerings to the dead. Rest utensils neatly when you are not using them.
Keep your volume appropriate to the restaurant. Some places are lively and others are quiet; eating noisily is not a requirement or a universal sign of appreciation. You can decline alcohol politely without needing to drink to demonstrate respect.
Avoid an unwelcome association with red ink
Some people associate writing a living person's name in red with death or bad luck. Use another colour for a name when convenient. The National Folk Museum of Korea discusses this as a folk belief with several proposed origins, rather than a rule everyone interprets identically.
Ask before photographing someone
사진 찍어도 돼요? means “May I take a photo?” Ask when a person is the subject and respect their answer. Permission from one person does not override a venue's restrictions or other people's privacy.
Do not photograph people in changing rooms, bathing areas or another situation where they expect privacy. Ordinary street photography and unlawful intimate recording are not the same legal category, so broad claims that every photograph of a stranger is a criminal offence are misleading. The separate photography page explains restrictions in more detail.
Check whether shoes should come off
At a home, temple hall or floor-seating area, look for a shoe rack, a raised clean floor or instructions at the entrance. Remove shoes where required and keep outdoor shoes off the clean floor.
A step by itself does not establish the rule in every building. If you are unsure, pause at the entrance and ask or follow the host's instructions.
