Handshakes and bows are acceptable greetings, but greeting someone with close physical contact, such as hugging or grabbing hands or arms, is bad Korean etiquette. Hugging strangers is certainly bad manners in Korea and will most likely make the other person extremely uncomfortable, especially when in public.
A person in a position of service may put their hands together in front of their chest when greeting you or accepting something as an expression of gratitude. Many Koreans living overseas are accustomed to hugging or kissing as a part of casual greetings among friends.
Touching, patting, or back slapping is to be avoided during interactions. In addition, direct eye contact between juniors and seniors should be avoided because it is seen as impolite or even a challenge. Korea is one of the most demographically homogeneous countries in the world, racially and linguistically.
Physical Contact: Koreans are generally not very physically affectionate with one another. However, girls and young women may walk hand-in-hand and male friends may touch one another more frequently than what is the norm amongst western men. Personal Space: Personal space is not guarded very closely in Korea.
Korean couples might match their outfits, but they're much more reserved about public displays of affection. Holding hands is normal but kissing on the lips? Not so much. If you're from a more openly affectionate country, save your lovey-dovey displays for somewhere more private.
It's no longer uncommon to see young couples hug, squeeze or smooch in public. While some couples are still coy about anything beyond holding hands in public areas, others are unafraid of... But generally, couples hug, kiss freely, whether it be rude or not. It is free to express love in Korea, after all.
In South Korea, passionate kisses and lingering hugs are considered tacky and inappropriate when they occur in public. Rather, they're seen as special, romantic moments that should be shared with your partner in a private setting.
Flirting in Korean culture is pretty much like what you see in Korean dramas. They use romantic, sweet, and cute phrases to touch the heart of the person they like. Aside from romantic phrases, they also flirt by acting cute, called aegyo (애교).
Handshakes and bows are acceptable greetings, but greeting someone with close physical contact, such as hugging or grabbing hands or arms, is bad Korean etiquette. Hugging strangers is certainly bad manners in Korea and will most likely make the other person extremely uncomfortable, especially when in public.
Respect should always be shown to those that are older than you. This involves deferring to their opinion, waiting for their input and lowering your gaze if they are an elder. Objects, gifts and food should be offered and received with two hands.
If you're dating in South Korea, it's frowned upon to engage in PDA, or public displays of affection. It's okay to hold hands, but anything more than that will result in stares of disbelief. Instead of kissing or hugging in South Korea, couples show their affection by wearing matching outfits.
Don't eat directly from the large plate, no matter how tempting the dish is! This is considered bad dining etiquette. Make sure each dish is served onto your smaller plate before getting started on the meal.
It is not all that normal to use one thumb up to agree with what people say to you. South Koreans almost always see it as being rude. They believe that there is a proper way of doing things. Gesturing with two thumbs is seen as a sign of approval or saying a big yes to what people did right.
It's not uncommon for people to come together and chat while showering and take turns scrubbing each other's backs. And a common scrubber you'll see is some version of the "Italy towel" that gets every layer of dirt right off. It's actually not great for the skin to scrub so hard—and Koreans can scrub!
The Double Hand Wave. This is another important body gesture in Korean cultures and is used when you want to strongly say “NO” to someone. You can use only one hand to say “no” to someone, but if you use two hands, it sends a strong message that you don't want to do. Also, it can mean, “No thank you.”
Koreans do not typically do it especially if they're not close, and doing it as a foreigner to a Korean would most likely make them uncomfortable. So I'd imagine fans hugging their idols is a cultural taboo (Although based on what I see at fansigns, other forms of skinship are fine and acceptable).
[“Skinship” in Korean slang doesn't have an exact translation; it can be about physical intimacy, how “touchy-feely” someone is, and/or sexual compatibility.]
Being playful: Korean guys might tease their crush or playfully banter with them in order to show their interest. Being attentive: Korean guys might pay close attention to their crush, offering them drinks or asking about their day in an effort to show interest. He will be texting you on a regular basis, every day.
At bars, people easily start conversations with complete stranger. But Koreans don't say hi to, or even smile at, strangers passing by. If a Korean makes eye contact with a stranger and happen to say hi or give a smile, he/she would either just ignore, be confused, or have a look of “Do I know you?” on their face.
In Korea, it's not normal to hold hands or kiss on a first date. A guy may want to hold hands, but kissing on the first date is a big NO. In Korea, it's frowned upon to kiss in public.
Affection in Public
Public displays of affection (PDA) are common among Korean couples. While more intimate physical contact is typically kept private, holding hands, a peck on the cheek or a kiss in public is considered normal in Korean dating culture.
3 In public
Even a kiss on the cheek is acceptable. Anything more tends to drift towards awkward territory.
According to Dr. Seockhoon Chung, MD, PhD, and Dr. Hoyoung An, MD, who write in Sleep Medicine Research, Korea's tradition of co-sleeping stems from not only its parenting philosophies, which prioritize family care over individual privacy but also its home design and architecture.
In South Korea, Park said the men used to be expected to make the first move. However, people are now starting to accept girls approaching the guys first.