Bowing and handshakes Koreans bow to those senior to them both as a greeting and a show of respect. The junior person initiates the bow, bending from the waist to an angle of between 30 and 45 degrees from vertical. A less accentuated bow is returned as acknowledgment from the more senior person.
Koreans say “안녕하세요 [an nyeong ha seyo]?” while slightly bowing their head when they greet others. “안녕하세요?”is used interchangeably to say “Hi, hello, good morning/afternoon/evening”. You can simply say “안녕?” when you are greeting your friends or a person younger than you.
Americans should address a Korean with Mr., Mrs., Miss + family name; however, never address a high-ranking person or superior in this manner. Korean names are the opposite of Western names with the family name first, followed by the two-part given name.
The deepest, most polite bow expresses sincerest gratitude or apology. One bends from their torso to around 45 degrees or at such an angle from which the head would have to stretch up to look into the face of the other person. The head is kept lowered in this greeting.
Korean culture and customs are deeply rooted infamily values,respect,and obedience toward people regarded as having higher status, rank, or age, including parents, teachers, older siblings, and older co-workers.
Bowing. Just like in Japan, in Korea people bow as a sign of respect, especially between people they don't know or work colleagues. It is not uncommon to see students bowing when they meet their sunbae (older student), just as it is common for the ajumma at the restaurant (middle-aged lady) to bow when greeting you.
언니 (eonni; unnie) Literal meaning: “older sister” Is also used to call: A female friend or a female sibling who's older than you (as a female)
In Korea, it is considered rude to look directly into someone's eyes during a conversation, especially if you are being scolded or rebuked by your seniors or elders. In some cultures, making eye contact is a non-verbal part of communication; however, this is not the same in Korean culture.
Jagiya (자기야) – “Honey” or “Baby”
Perhaps the most popular of the Korean terms of love between couples, it means “honey,” “darling,” or “baby,” which you'll often hear among couples in K-dramas. You can also just shorten it to 자기 (jagi). Use this term along with Korean love phrases. It's used for both men and women.
Handshakes and bows are acceptable greetings, but greeting someone with close physical contact, such as hugging or grabbing hands or arms, is bad Korean etiquette.
Hapsyo-che (하십시오체) is a very respectful, polite form of formal speech. It is commonly used in public speeches, broadcasts, business, and the service industry to speak to customers. It is used to speak to strangers, elders, anyone higher in social rank.
Family is the most important part of Korean society and the father is the leader of the family. They also believe in a hierarchical structure and children help their parents and must obey them and show respect to the elders.
실례합니다 (sillyehamnida)
This word is used when trying to get somebody's attention and is very polite and formal.
Public displays of affection (PDA) is a sin most Korean couples commit. While you should keep the steamy make-out sessions private, PDA tends to happen on the norm in Korean dating culture. Holding hands, giving a peck, or even a kiss is a usual sight.
As part of the addressee honorific system, Korean distinguishes grammatically six levels of politeness, often referred to as speech styles: formal, semiformal, polite, familiar, intimate, and plain.
According to a survey conducted in 2019 by Ipsos on global attitudes toward beauty, around 38 percent of South Korean respondents stated that they preferred brown eyes for women. On the other end of the scale, only one percent of respondents stated that they considered amber colored eyes ideal for women.
This is merely a sign of modesty and politeness. On the other hand, this could give an impression to non-Koreans that Koreans are shy or don't express themselves openly.
Kissing in public is looked down upon and seen as highly immodest among older individuals in South Korea. This has become less taboo with the current generation of young adults, but is still widely discouraged by elders. Dressing well is important in South Korea; it is considered a sign of respect.
Nuna is the opposite of oppa. While oppa is used exclusively by females when addressing older males, nuna is used exclusively by males when addressing older females. You may also see 누나 spelled as “Nuna.” Nuna is used in place of a person's name.
잠시 • (jamsi) (hanja 暫時) a moment, short time.
The word 'Oppa' (오빠) is not inherently flirty and just because a Korean woman calls you 'Oppa' doesn't mean they are flirting with you. That being said, 'Oppa' can be used flirtatiously. It all depends on the intonation and intention of the speaker.
Aegyo (Korean: 애교; Hanja: 愛嬌) in Korean refers to a cute display of affection often expressed through a cute voice, changes to speech, facial expressions, or gestures.
Hanok, a traditional Korean house first built in the 14th century, had an “Ondol (온돌)”, which is a floor-based heating system. By sitting or lying down on the floor, one can feel the warmth of the floor. Being used to the “sitting on the floor” lifestyle, Koreans often do this cross-legged posture.
The Double Hand Wave. This is another important body gesture in Korean cultures and is used when you want to strongly say “NO” to someone. You can use only one hand to say “no” to someone, but if you use two hands, it sends a strong message that you don't want to do. Also, it can mean, “No thank you.”