Knowing some fundamental South Korean eating customs before visiting the country can help you appreciate South Korean cuisine more and not look out of place at the Korean meal table. Enjoy South Korean food while following proper Korean dining manners, which will make your vacation to Korea unforgettable!
1. Start a meal from the older
Respecting the elderly is a way of life in South Korea, where Confucianism is profoundly ingrained. You must wait for the senior to begin eating before you begin when you are dining with an older person. If there are elderly at the table, it is rude to smoke and consume alcohol without restriction. You can’t drink and watch the elderly drink. You should slant your head and body to the side and fill the glass with some liquid with your left hand.
2. Don’t use shared chopsticks
In South Korea, eating with others is customary, especially when South Korean soups are involved. The majority of South Koreans take straight sips of soup from their own spoons. Although some may consider this to be unhygienic, South Koreans have a particular culinary culture.
3. Drinking culture in South Korea
The practice of drinking is highly common in South Korea. So it is customary to drink with South Koreans. Pay attention to some drinking etiquette, such as the fact that it is customary to offer to pour alcohol for others when their glass is empty. Don’t forget that you can’t just pour yourself a drink. It is extremely rude.