8 Things You CAN'T DO in South Korea

Popularly known for its green, hilly countryside, with 500-year old trees, traditional hanok architecture and centuries-old Buddhist temples, South Korea has one of the most interesting and dynamic cultSuper Toilets: You know how the normal toilet experience is, how soothing it can get, especially when you have your phone or a book to keep you company. Now imagine it in Japan, where the toilets are so advanced; from cleaning your butt, to heating it up, and with some high tech toilets even able to check your protein, blood pressure, weight, urine,and body fat. Life is Good, in Japan!ures in the world. And while you can probably get away with doing the things listed below as a tourist, and while none of them are illegal, it is highly recommended that you keep these at the back of your mind so you don’t come off as offensive and disrespectful. So here is a list of 8 things you cannot do in South Korea:

1. Write Someone’s Name With a Red Pen
Writing a person’s name in red ink (which is like blood,) in the South Korean culture somehow signifies that a person will die soon, or that you wish them death. So unless you enjoy being berated, avoid writing with red pen, you can instead use blue or black pens.

2. Throw Toilet Paper in the Toilet
Because you really don't want to be person who overflows the toilet, you must put them -even after being used- in a bin, as the plumbing systems in Korea are not designed to flush toilet paper.

3. Talk Loudly on the Metro
Imagine having to witness thousands of people in small spaces without sound. Strange right? Yeah, that’s South Koreans for you. They either rarely speak on the subway, or just whisper when they have to speak.

4. Stick Chopsticks in Your Rice Bowl
In South Korea, If you stick your chopsticks vertically in a rice bowl, you can be sure to get weird looks, as this action signifies death. This is because Koreans burn incense upright in a bowl of sand at funerals, so if you are planning a trip to South Korea, you might want to be conscious of this.

5. Wear Shoes Indoors
Koreans are known to be very clean people and to always remove their outdoor shoes when going indoors. Most homes even have a little area to keep shoes.

6. Use One Hand to Give or Receive
One way to show reverence in Korea is by using both hands whenever you give or receive. Korean culture revolves heavily around respect, and you must understand that and try to conform to it.

7. Refuse to Bow to the Elderly
Bowing is a common way to say “Hello”, “Thank you”, or “Goodbye” in Korea. So rather than kiss, shake hands, or hug, Koreans greet each other by bowing. The older the person, the deeper the bow.

8. Assume People Speak English
It is advised that you at least learn a couple Korean words, as the vast majority of Koreans can only speak or understand English at a basic level. Even though it’s getting more and more common for the younger population to know the language, it still cannot be assumed that the people speak English.