Greetings
Author
Nina Evason,
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- Use a person’s formal title (i.e. Mr, Ms, Doctor) when addressing them for the first time, and continue to do so until they signal otherwise.
- The most common way to greet people in South Korea is with a bow. The casual bow is a dip of the head with eyes closed, sometimes accompanied by a slight bend from the waist. This type of greeting is used when informally greeting someone or walking past someone of a higher status.
- Business interactions require a deeper bow, where the torso bends from the waist by about 30 degrees.
- The deepest, most polite bow expresses sincerest gratitude or apology. One bends from their torso to around 45 degrees or at such an angle that the head would have to stretch up to look into the face of the other person. The head is kept lowered in this greeting.
- Handshakes are also a common form of greeting in South Korea. Koreans mostly use their right hand for all greetings. This is related to the complementary concepts of ‘y¾±²Ô’ and ‘y²¹²Ô²µâ€™. The energy of the right hand is considered more ‘y²¹²Ô²µâ€™, which is characterised as positive, bright, and masculine. The left hand is considered to be more ‘²â¾±²Ô’, an inward energy that is associated with femininity, darkness and coldness. For this reason, Koreans tend to favour the right hand when touching others, exchanging objects etc.
- Using the left hand in a handshake can be perceived as bad luck due to its connotations with negativity and death. Most Koreans will not be bothered if you use the left hand by mistake. However, older Koreans and those in conventional or formal settings (e.g. business settings) may be offended.
- To show great respect during a handshake greeting, one may support the wrist of their right hand with their left as they shake.
- Korean women are often recommended to place their left hand on top of their right hand when bowing or greeting elders or superiors.
- Women may also greet one another by reaching out both hands to touch and clasp the other woman’s hands.
- A person in a position of service may put their hands together in front of their chest when greeting you or accepting something as an expression of gratitude.
- Many Koreans living overseas are accustomed to hugging or kissing as a part of casual greetings among friends.