A Basic Guide to Korean Table Manners

Sujeo is the Korean word for a spoon and chopsticks together. In Korean restaurants, you will usually find them in a table drawer, in a utensil holder, or next to the napkins. If they are concerned about hygiene, many people lightly wipe their hands and utensils with a wet tissue.

• The spoon is used most often for rice, soup, and the broth in stews.
• Chopsticks are used most often for side dishes, meat, savory pancakes, and noodles.
• Rather than holding both the spoon and chopsticks in one hand while you keep eating, it feels more natural to switch to whichever utensil you need.
• When you put your spoon and chopsticks down, place them neatly on a rest, a napkin, or the table rather than balancing them across a bowl.
• It is best to avoid sticking chopsticks upright into rice. Some people find it uncomfortable because it is associated with funeral rites.

Bibimbap is often mixed and eaten with a spoon. Chopsticks are easier for noodle dishes and grilled meat. If you need more utensils, say “sujeo hana deo juseyo” (수저 하나 더 주세요, “one more spoon-and-chopsticks set, please”).

In Korea, people usually do not lift their rice bowl or soup bowl and bring it close to their mouth. Leave the bowl on the table and eat from it with a spoon. Metal rice bowls in particular can be hot, so it is safer not to pick them up.

• Eat rice a little at a time with your spoon.
• For soups and brothy dishes, use your spoon for the broth, and eat the solid ingredients with either a spoon or chopsticks.
• For stews shared in the middle of the table, such as Kimchi Jjigae or Doenjang Jjigae, people usually use a ladle or individual small plates.
• If there is no ladle, it is better to ask for one or for a small plate rather than putting your own spoon directly into the shared dish.
• Do not touch hot stone bowls, earthenware pots, or hot plates.

At meals where rice and soup are served together, such as Gajeongshik Baekban (Traditional Korean Home Meal) or Hanjeongsik (Korean traditional full-course meal), there will be many small bowls and plates on the table. Your rice bowl and soup bowl are for you. The side dishes in the center are often meant to be shared.

In Korea, people tend to pay a little attention to when the meal begins if they are eating with someone older, a guest, or a supervisor. Not every setting is very formal, but if you want to look polite, simply slow down and follow their lead.

• Sit where you are guided to sit.
• People often wait briefly until the elder picks up their spoon and chopsticks.
• If you are unsure, wait until the elder starts, or politely say “meonjeo deusijiyo” (먼저 드시지요, “please go ahead and start first”).
• Rather than reaching a long way across the table for a side dish, ask someone nearby to pass it.
• During conversation, it is better not to speak when your mouth is full.

Once the meal has started, you can eat comfortably. Korean etiquette is largely a way of showing respect for others. Many people will not make a big issue out of a mistake. A smile and a willingness to follow along are usually enough.

Banchan are small side dishes eaten with rice. In Korean restaurants, several plates of banchan may be served, such as Napa Cabbage Kimchi, Bean Sprout Salad, Japchae, or Steamed Egg. Many restaurants offer refills for some side dishes, but it varies by restaurant, so it is best to ask the staff.

• With shared side dishes, take a little at a time rather than taking a large amount at once.
• Avoid repeatedly rummaging through a shared plate with utensils that have touched your mouth.
• If small individual plates are provided, put side dishes on your plate before eating them.
• Many places cut kimchi or large side dishes with scissors. If you need this, say “jalla juseyo” (잘라 주세요, “please cut it”).
• For allergies, religious restrictions, or vegetarian needs, ingredients can vary from one side dish to another, so show an allergy or vegetarian card listing the specific ingredients and always confirm.

With dishes such as Ssam-bap or Samgyeopsal, where meat and seasoning are wrapped in vegetables, people may use their hands. It is easiest to make each wrap small enough to eat in one bite. Add Ssamjang, a savory dipping paste, garlic, and chili to taste.

Meat dishes such as Samgyeopsal, grilled pork belly, or Bulgogi are often cooked in the middle of the table or served together on a large plate. At some restaurants, staff grill the meat for you; at others, guests cook it themselves. If you are not sure, ask “jigwoni hae jusinayo?” (직원이 해 주시나요, “will a staff member do it for us?”).

• Tongs and scissors are usually tools for grilling and cutting the meat. It is good to keep them separate from the chopsticks you eat with.
• The person sitting closest often naturally takes charge of turning or cutting the meat.
• Cooked meat is either gathered to one side or moved onto individual plates.
• Meat left on the grill too long can burn, so keep an eye on it together with the people around you.
• Large savory pancakes such as Pajeon are shared by tearing them with chopsticks or cutting them with scissors.

With shared food, it is good to pay attention to everyone’s pace. If you want the last piece, it feels natural to ask lightly, “igeo meogeodo doelkkayo?” (이거 먹어도 될까요, “may I eat this?”).

At Korean drinking gatherings, people often drink Soju, Makgeolli, or beer together. Drinking etiquette depends on the type of gathering. A company dinner may be a little more formal, while a get-together with friends is usually relaxed. It is fine not to drink. You do not need to explain health, religion, or personal reasons in detail, but it can sound more natural to add briefly that you are taking medication or that you brought a car.

• If someone pours you a drink, receive the glass with one hand or both hands. In front of an elder or supervisor, two hands are more polite.
• When pouring for an elder, hold the bottle with both hands, or hold it with one hand while lightly touching your wrist with the other.
• Many people turn their head slightly to the side when drinking in front of an elder. It is not always required, but it is seen as a polite gesture.
• If you do not want alcohol, say “sureun gwaenchanseumnida” (술은 괜찮습니다, “I’m fine without alcohol”) or “jogeumman juseyo” (조금만 주세요, “just a little, please”).
• Strongly pressuring someone to keep drinking may be considered uncomfortable these days.

There is a culture of enjoying food and alcohol together, such as Makgeolli with savory pancakes or Soju with meat. Still, the heart of a drinking gathering is the mood, not the amount you drink. It is best to keep your own pace.

The following are not major taboos, but avoiding them at the table will make you seem more comfortable and polite. Koreans also behave differently depending on the situation, so there is no need to feel too tense.

• Do not put your personal spoon deep into a shared stew or side dish and stir it around repeatedly.
• Do not tap bowls with your spoon and chopsticks, or point at people with your chopsticks.
• Do not speak loudly with food in your mouth.
• Avoid blowing your nose hard at the table; if you need to, step away briefly.
• Rather than loudly calling for staff in a restaurant, press the bell if there is one; if there is not, say “yeogiyo” (여기요, “excuse me”).
• It is better to order only as much as you can eat rather than leaving a lot of food.

When the meal is over, place your spoon and chopsticks neatly together, and gather napkins and trash in one spot so staff can clear the table easily. Depending on the restaurant, you may pay at the table or at the counter. If you are unsure, ask “gyesan eodiseo haeyo?” (계산 어디서 해요, “where do I pay?”).