Rude Things to Avoid in Korea from My Perspective

If someone pointed a finger at me and stared, I doubt I would feel comfortable. Those are the attitudes I think of first when discussing rude things to avoid in Korea. A little slurping over noodles, however, does not bother me nearly as much. My reaction depends quite a lot on the behavior, even when everything falls under the same heading of etiquette.

On Reddit’s Korea travel forum, one user asked about the biggest mistakes visitors make and included etiquette mistakes in the question. For someone planning a trip, how to behave can be a concern alongside where to go. That one question, though, cannot tell us that every traveler is anxious about manners.

I do not know exactly what visitors from abroad worry about, either. Here, I am speaking from what I have noticed around me and from my own standards. This is not a list that speaks for every Korean person’s reaction.

Pointing at Someone

If someone pointed at me, I would find it hard to assume they were simply showing another person where I was. What they said would make a difference, but having a finger pointed directly at me could feel as though they were looking for a fight.

Fortunately, nobody has treated me that way so far. I am not describing an argument that actually happened. I am explaining how I think I would take the gesture if it happened to me.

If you need to tell a companion which person you mean while traveling, I would suggest describing them in words rather than continuing to point at them. I cannot know someone’s intentions in advance, so a finger directed at me could create an unpleasant first impression on its own.

A Stare That Lingers

I doubt I would feel good about someone staring at me, either. Briefly meeting someone’s eyes feels different from being singled out and watched for a long time. It is that continued attention I mean when I talk about discomfort.

As with pointing, this has not actually happened to me. Still, if someone kept watching me, I would find it difficult to assume the attention was friendly. A stare could feel like a challenge even without a word being spoken.

This does not mean you should never make eye contact with strangers in Korea. The behavior I can advise caution about is staring at a person. There is no need to treat a brief glance as the same kind of discourtesy.

Slurping Noodles or Soup

My standards are a little more relaxed when it comes to eating sounds. If the noise is not too loud, I do not mind someone slurping noodles or soup. A little sound does not immediately make me think someone is strange or has poor table manners.

Around me, I notice some younger people eating noisily in a way that seems influenced by online eating shows. Age alone does not explain it, though. Some older people also make lip-smacking sounds while eating. These are observations from my surroundings; I have not researched proportions by age or established that eating shows cause the behavior.

People on overseas online forums describe different reactions to these sounds. A Reddit user who said they had lived in Korea for over a year wrote that eating noises were difficult to get used to. They felt confused because explanations they found online differed from the answers they received when asking Korean people. Their account appeared in a forum where people discuss distress caused by sounds, so it cannot stand for travelers’ reactions in general.

My lack of concern does not guarantee that the person beside me feels the same way. I also know people who dislike those sounds. When you eat with others, it is better to consider them rather than set the volume entirely by your own standards.

For a formal meal in particular, I would suggest keeping eating sounds down as much as possible. The level I find comfortable at a casual meal may not suit that setting. You do not need to deliberately eat loudly to show that you enjoy the food. At least, I do not need that signal.

Unsure About Rude Things to Avoid in Korea? Ask Your Companion

I was asked to name a behavior that is acceptable in Korea but that foreign visitors worry too much about. Nothing immediately came to mind, because I do not know what they are worried about. Being Korean does not mean I know every concern a visitor brings along.

I can still explain my own standards for eating sounds. Small sounds do not particularly bother me, but I recommend reducing them at a formal meal. Pointing and staring are behaviors I could find unpleasant if directed at me.

If you are unsure, ask the person with you a brief question. During a meal, you can ask, “Is it okay to eat this way?” Rather than trying to work out a whole country’s etiquette at once, ask your companion what is appropriate in the situation you are sharing.

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