Tips for traveling in Korea:
In
Korea it is polite to bow. It is a little bow, nothing dramatic, but if
someone bows to you it's like saying hello, and you should bow back.
Young people will wave, but when in doubt, bow a little bow or give a
head nod. It is just the polite thing to do. When in doubt, I bow AND wave. I am sure they think I am ridiculous! LOL
Korean
people are not good at lining up, they have more of an "every man for
themselves" approach. You may see a mad dash to get onto the airplane,
pretend it's day after Thanksgiving shopping and just squeeze in with
the rest of them. If you are in line (anywhere), don't leave TOO much room in front
of you (look to see how close they are standing to one another, contrary to popular belief, they do have respect for personal space) or a Korean person might try to "take cuts" especially if they are older
than you, they may think they deserve to be in line before you. If this
happens, try not to let it bother you, it's just part of living in Korea!
(In the airport) Koreans drive their luggage carts how they drive on the roads... BEWARE! You might get
run over.
If
someone bumps into you or steps on you, they likely won't say "excuse
me" they are used to lots of crowds and just accept it as a part of
life.
If you bump someone, same thing, you don't need to say anything.
Now
if you knock someone over... you can say: chesonghammida (Che so ang -
ham mi da) which
means "I apologize." This could also theoretically happen to you, in
which case you can say: cwenchanayo (Cwen cha na yo) which means "It's
okay."
In
Korea it is not uncommon to see someone giggle if they have done
something wrong, (like crash into you with their luggage cart) this means that they are embarrassed, not that they were trying to target you and think it's hilarious, don't be
irritated with them for giggling.
You
will probably notice
that the people on your train, flight, or terminal are very quiet. It is considered rude to
talk loudly in public, unless of course you are drinking together in a bar...
Korean people holding hands does not indicate their sexual preference. It just means that they are very close friends or family.
Tipping is not customary. If you attempt to tip in a restaurant, you may actually be chased out of the restaurant by the owner to give you your money back. You can tip taxi cab drivers, and hotel staff, though hotel staff will usually tell you that you do not need to tip them. If they are really helpful I usually insist upon it.
Don't wear your shoes into someone's home. Some restaurants even ask you to take your shoes off. As a general rule of thumb, if you see shoes by the front, take yours off. No one is going to take your shoes, your American feet are probably too big any way!
Not all public bathrooms have toilet paper. Airports, and major train stations do, but if you go to a restaurant, it's a good idea to bring some tissue with you just in case. I have thus far only experienced this in two places.
Another note about bathrooms... (almost all toilets are western style, don't worry) soap is frequently bar soap on a stick. Yes it is used by lots of people and it's a little creepy, but it's better than not washing your hands or going without soap. Some bathrooms may not have any soap at all. It's a good idea to carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you just in case this happens.
Helpful phrases that make Koreans really happy if you at least try to say them:
An-yong-ha-say-yo - Hello (any time of day) You will probably hear a response of "neh" or an-yong-ha-say-yo.
Thank You: Kahm-sa-ham-mi-da, or you may hear people say
Kahm-sahm-mi-da. They are both fine, the second I think is more
dialectic, and what most people say in Chinahe.
Neh or nay (sound the same) - Yes (but can also mean, "ok", or "same to you" or another form of acknowledgement)
Ani-yo - No
An-iy-eh-yo - It's nothing. This is how you should respond if someone compliments you instead of saying thank you.
Saying goodbye: The shop owner, or airline will say "an-yong-hee KAH-say-yo" which basically means go in peace
When you leave a store or an airplane you can say "an-yong-hee KAY-say-yo" which
means stay in peace.
If
you are both leaving you use the first one "An-yong-hee Kah-say-yo" I
screw these up all the time, they don't really care, they mostly
appreciate that you are trying.
The customs people in Korea do not have a sense of humor, though they
are still very polite. Do not try to go up to the counter together. One
at a time only.
I hope you find this information useful!
