Korean Manners and Etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts of First Meetings
First time meetings in Korea are not always as simple as “hello.” There’s a lot of times people might be offended. Find out the do’s and don’ts of Korean etiquette when meeting someone for the first time!
Informal Settings
Do’s
If you’re meeting friends of friends or maybe even a few chaps at the pub, greeting etiquette in Korea is quite relaxed. Most informal settings only require a small, short bow and a smile. Hand waves to say hi or bye are also quite common (but are more casual). To make an even better impression, say hello in Korean. And… that’s about it. Sorry, there’s no secret handshake or codeword for picture perfect Korean manners in informal situations. Just be cool and smile, and other people will too.
Don’t hug someone you’ve just met for the first time. This also applies when saying goodbye. Even if you’ve just had the most spirit-kindling noraebang singing session, hugging might make things awkward. Although the culture around hugging is changing, hugging in Korea is generally reserved for couples or for close friends or family that are saying goodbye for a long while.