Manners of greetings
In Korea when you meet the elderly and someone
first, it is a manner to greet first. Stooping
by 30 degree angle and maintaining that posture
for two to three seconds, and you should hold
up your head. As for men, keep your arms and hands
tight to your body and as for women, keep your
hands together in front and stoop. It should be
done in front by 2 to 5 meters. The upper body
stooped in greeting should be hold up slowly after
the interval of one breath of receiving the other’s
return courtesy. Also, stooping slightly is just
enough as the manner but nodding is rather considered
to be a bad manner. It is a manner to keep eyes
contact and to stoop and maintain that posture
for a second. And It is better to say Annyeonghasipnigga
( Hello) while stooping.
Etiquettes
In Korea where the elderly are respected, there
are several important points when you are with
the elderly.
First, it is rude to put the hands in the pockets
in front of the elderly. Also, drinking with
the elderly is socially acceptable but smoking
is not allowed because smoking in front of the
elderly is considered to be challenging. Although
the elderly allows you to smoke, it is a manner
to cover the cigarette with hand and to blow
out the smoke to the opposite direction of the
other person. Also, it is a virtue to concede
a seat for the elderly in a bus or s subway
and if you give up your seat for the elderly
in a subway, you are evaluated as a well mannered
foreigner.
Table manners
In the eastern country valuing manners, Korea,
the table manner is very important and especially,
there are many taboos in the table manner because
fortune comes and goes out in terms of the table
manner. Therefore, if you make Korean friends
and are invited by him for dinner, there are
some points to bear in mind and practice. When
you do so, your Korean friend will show more
friendly feeling. First, in Korea the elderly
are respected first and you should not start
the meal before the elderly. It is not allowed
to make a noise such as sipping, chewing, or
clattering and it is not acceptable to hold
a spoon and chop sticks together. Also, you
should eat rice starting from one corner and
do not hold up a soup bowl or leave the seat
in the middle of having a meal. And the speed
of eating should be regulated to finish the
meal together . And when you are finished first,
put the spoon and chopsticks on top of rice
bowl or soup bowl and as the other person finishes
the meal, you can put those down together. And
after finishing a meal, you may stand up after
the elderly stand up first.
Manners
