Don't pick up the bowl If you are served a dish, such as rice or soup, in a bowl, it is important to leave the bowl on the table. While people in other southeast Asian countries, such as China or Japan, often lift the bowl and hold it in their hand to eat, this is not the case in Korea.
Koreans also tend to use the spoon instead of chopsticks for eating rice. Because of that, it's considered rude to lift the rice bowl when eating from it, as is common in, for example, Japan, where lifting your rice bowl while using chopsticks to pick up the rice is incredibly common.
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.
Finish your meal only once the oldest person has finished with their meals, and try your hardest to finish everything in your bowl or plate. The timing of the meal entirely revolves around rank, so you're not off the hook after you let the eldest guests start eating first.
Slurping and belching are acceptable while dining, and is sometimes considered a sign of appreciation of the cooking. Tipping is not a part of the culture in Korea.
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. Remove your hat when indoors.
Crop tops have been a huge hit these past few years in South Korea, especially in youthful neighborhoods like Hongdae. As long as you cover your shoulder and chest area, there will be no problem showing a little belly skin.
Nodding : A slight nod can be given to elders in general situations. But, it is not proper for formal situations. Shaking Hands : Shake hands when greeting your collegues, friends or business partners whom you haven't seen for a while. In Korea, you should not extend your hand to shake hands before a senior does.
Meeting and greeting
Foreigners will see Koreans bowing all the time, even during telephone conversations. Though doing likewise will do much to endear you to locals, don't go overboard – a full, right-angled bow would only be appropriate for meeting royalty (and the monarchy ended in 1910).
Smiling: As well as an expression of glee and humour, smiling can indicate that one is feeling ashamed or embarrassed in Korean culture. For example, a Korean may smile when they make a mistake. Sneezing: Sneezing is considered rude in Korea.
Bowing and handshakes
Koreans bow to those senior to them both as a greeting and a show of respect. The junior person initiates the bow, bending from the waist to an angle of between 30 and 45 degrees from vertical. A less accentuated bow is returned as acknowledgment from the more senior person.
If you are served a dish, such as rice or soup, in a bowl, it is important to leave the bowl on the table. While people in other southeast Asian countries, such as China or Japan, often lift the bowl and hold it in their hand to eat, this is not the case in Korea.
As a sign of respect when drinking with a person who is their senior, Koreans turn their heads when taking a sip (instead of facing the person directly).
In Korea, however, it is customary to always pour and receive drinks with both hands or at least have both hands touching the glass as a sign of respect, especially if the person pouring your drink is an elder. Out of respect for an elder, Koreans usually turn their face away and cover their mouth while drinking.
In Korea, it is considered rude to look directly into someone's eyes during a conversation, especially if you are being scolded or rebuked by your seniors or elders. In some cultures, making eye contact is a non-verbal part of communication; however, this is not the same in Korean culture.
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.
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.
In North Korea, blue jeans are seen as a symbol of American imperialism and are thus forbidden. The same is true for other Western clothing items such as T-shirts, skirts, and suits. Instead, citizens are required to wear traditional Korean clothing such as hanboks.
Ripped Jeans
The Koreans are serious about their ripped denim. It's the ideal everyday outfit that can be worn during the day and at night.
Therefore, the following modified BMI cut points are commonly used for analyses of the Korean population: underweight (<18.5 kg/m2), normal weight (18.5-22.9 kg/m2), overweight (23.0-24.9 kg/m2), and obese (≥25.0 kg/m2) [24].
So you can say: 미안합니다, mianhamnida: “I'm sorry” in formal speech. 미안해요, mianhaeyo: “Sorry” in polite speech. 미안해, mianhae: “Sorry” in casual speech.
In modern times, however, bowing in Korea is a part of everyday life. It is sometimes nothing more than a little gesture to go along with a 'thank you' or 'excuse me. ' To make a polite bow, simply lower your upper body by about 15 degrees as a sign of courtesy.