Hey guys! Welcome back to Unboxing Seoul.
If you’ve ever watched a K-drama or visited Korea, you might have noticed some things that seem… a little unexpected. Today, I want to share 3 everyday Korean habits that completely shock my foreign friends, but are 100% normal to us locals!
1. Leaving a $1,500 Laptop on a Cafe Table to Go to the Restroom 💻☕
Imagine this: You’re alone at a busy cafe in Hongdae or Seongsu. You need to use the bathroom, but your laptop, iPhone, and expensive noise-canceling headphones are on the table.
What do you do?
In Korea, we just leave them right there.
We don’t pack our bags, and we don’t ask the person next to us to watch our stuff. We just walk away, use the restroom, grab another drink, and come back. And guess what? Everything is still there.
- The Local Truth: It’s not that crime doesn’t exist in Korea, but stealing someone’s personal belongings—especially in places with high CCTV density—is a huge social taboo here. (Though ironically, your bicycle might still get stolen… that’s the one mysterious exception in Korea! 😂)
2. “Iced Americano Even If I Freeze to Death” (Ah-Ah Culture) 🧊☕
In Korea, we have a famous abbreviation: “Eol-Juk-Ah” (얼죽아).
It stands for “Even if I freeze to death, I’ll drink Iced Americano.”
Whether it’s a scorching 35°C summer day or a freezing -10°C blizzard in January, you will see Koreans walking down the street with a clear cup filled with ice and black coffee.
- Why do we do this?
- Speed: We are the Pali-Pali (hurry-hurry) nation. An iced espresso drink cools down instantly and can be gulped down in 30 seconds.
- Workplace Fuel: For many office workers and students, a bitter, icy shot of caffeine is essential to survive a long day!
If you visit a Korean cafe in winter, try ordering an Iced Americano just like a true local!
3. The Table Napkin Hack & Checking Socks 🧦🍽️
When Koreans sit down at a restaurant, there are two automatic reflexes before the food even arrives:
- The Napkin Under the Spoon: You’ll see us grab a paper napkin, lay it neatly on the table, and set our chopsticks and spoon on top of it. We know the table is wiped clean, but putting down a napkin layer feels like an essential hygiene ritual!
- Checking for Holes in Socks: Korea has a LOT of restaurants where you have to take off your shoes and sit on the floor (or raised platforms). Because of this, Koreans have an unconscious habit of checking if their socks have holes before going into a dining spot.
💭 What Do You Think?
Which of these 3 habits surprised you the most? Or if you’ve been to Korea before, is there any other culture shock you experienced?
Let me know in the comments below! I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Until next time, stay curious and keep unboxing Seoul! ✨