The gorgeous landscape, thousands of years of history and culture, and a plethora of experiences will have you craving a trip to South Korea more than you could have ever imagined. However, this country has a few different rules than other parts of the world, so you must be prepared to know exactly what you can, and cannot, do when you are visiting.
5 Things You Should Never Even Consider Doing When Visiting South Korea
1. Wear Inappropriate Clothes
Okay, so we might as well get this rule over within the beginning, so you can avoid any issues from the moment you step off the plane! While you can wear jeans and shorts, if you plan on doing any business in South Korea, it is always best if you are overdressed for your role. That means a suit or at the very least, a pair of dress pants and a sports coat. Ladies should never wear tank tops or show their cleavage in this part of the world, so if you bring those items with you, plan on wearing a sweater for most of your visit.
2. Wear Shoe Inside
No one wears shoes inside in South Korea, so it is imperative that you remember to remove yours when you walk into homes, restaurants, stores, and anywhere else that is not the outdoors. Some places will offer slippers for you to put on, but if they don’t, just plan on walking around barefoot.
3. Throw Toilet Paper in the Toilet
Over in South Korea, you must throw your toilet paper into the garbage cans that are next to the toilets, because the plumbing is not capable of flushing all that down. Forgetting this one simple rule could have you being that one person who just let the toilet overflow into the restroom and clogged it for the rest of the day, making it unusable by those who need it.
4. Talk While Eating
Most of the people who live in South Korea do not talk when they are eating, so you are not going to want to try to start any conversations when you are eating. In fact, it is considered rude to talk while eating, so if you do try it, you will be met with nothing but silence.
5. Talking While Using Public Transportation
You are going to be taking a lot of public transportation when you are in South Korea, but do not plan on talking too much when you are using it. While you may converse quietly for a moment with the person sitting next to you, you must try to keep it to a minimum to avoid disturbing the other people around you.
Doing any of these five things will have South Koreans giving you a look that will make you want to crawl under a rock forever! It is best to avoid these things whenever possible and give an apologetic look if you do happen to forget during your visit.
