Hey guys! Welcome back to Unboxing Seoul.
Planning to enjoy some delicious Korean BBQ, hot bibimbap, or warm stew during your trip to Seoul? Dining in Korea is a fun, highly social experience, but it also comes with a unique set of cultural traditions and etiquette.
To help you feel confident at any Korean restaurant or dining table, here are 5 Korean table manners that might surprise foreign visitors—straight from a Seoul local!
- Never Lift Your Rice or Soup Bowl
In many Asian countries like Japan or China, it’s customary to hold your bowl close to your mouth while eating. In Korea, however, it’s actually the opposite! Leaving your bowl on the table and using your spoon to eat is considered polite.
- Pro Tip: Keep your bowl flat on the table, use your spoon for liquid dishes (soup, stew, rice), and use chopsticks for solid side dishes (banchan).
- Wait for the Eldest Person to Eat First
Respecting elders is a huge part of Korean culture. When dining with a group that includes older people, it’s polite to wait until the eldest person at the table picks up their spoon or chopsticks before you start digging in. - Rest Your Chopsticks on the Rest, Never Stick Them Vertically into Rice
This is one of the biggest dining taboos in Korea! Sticking your chopsticks straight up into a bowl of rice resembles the incense burned at traditional Korean funerals and ancestor rituals.
- What to do instead: Place your chopsticks horizontally across the side of your bowl or on the provided chopstick rest (jeotgarak-bat침).
- Pouring Drinks with Two Hands
If someone is pouring a drink for you—whether it’s water, tea, or local spirits like Soju—hold your glass with both hands (or hold the glass with one hand while lightly supporting your elbow/wrist with the other). When it’s your turn to pour for others, use both hands as well to show respect. - The “Tissue Under the Cutlery” Trick
If you visit casual Korean restaurants, you’ll often see locals grabbing a piece of tissue from the box on the table, placing it next to their plate, and setting their spoon and chopsticks on top of it. While restaurant tables are cleaned regularly, locals love doing this extra step to keep their utensils extra clean. Feel free to try it out—you’ll instantly look like a Seoul local!
Korean dining is all about sharing food and spending great time together. Don’t stress too much if you forget a rule—most Koreans are very forgiving with travelers—but keeping these tips in mind will definitely earn you extra smile points!
Have you noticed any of these habits before? Drop a comment below!