Your Offending Me!

Hello!

Here are some more things I found that may offend our friends the Koreans.

A common gesture used in America is to use the index finger or whole hand palm up to call someone over or to ask someone to come closer. Koreans use their index finger only when calling animals to come, never to call a person over. If you do use the gesture they will think you are calling them a dog. Please remember not to do it. :/ if you want to call someone over do a scooping gesture towards yourself.

Koreans are not accustomed to revealing their feelings to others. They use facial expressions to convey their feelings. For example, quite often even married couples don't say " I love you." It is naturally understood by their eyes, However, in a crowded subway, if a Korean happen to step on an American's foot, they will try to apologize with their eyes, most Americans will not understand and will feel offended By the lack of “I’m sorry”. Keep a look out for the cute “I’m sorry” eyes and accept that as an apology. Unless it came from an old lady because she probably did it on purpose. XD

Table Manners:

Try to keep these in mind at you next dinner meeting with a Korean. They are very forgiving to foreigners but will but super impressed and I bet you will get some brownie points!

1. Wait to be told where to sit. There is often a strict protocol to be

followed.

2. Always agree to allow the host of your dinner to seat you. The seat of

honor is the one that is facing the front door. If you get seated there, it

is polite to protest slightly.

3. The eldest is served first. The most senior person is the one who starts

the eating process.

4. Never point with your chopstick

5. Do not pierce your food with chopsticks

6. Chopsticks should be returned to the table after every few bites and when you drink or stop to speak.

7. Do not cross your chopsticks when putting them on the chopstick rest.

8. Do not leave your chopsticks sticking out of a bowl of rice. This is

reserved for ceremonies for the dead. It is very disrespectful for your

hosts.

9. It is polite to pass or accept food or drink with your right hand while

your left hand supports your forearm or wrist.

10. Do not hold your spoon and chopsticks together in the same hand.

11. Do not pick up food with your hands. Fruit should be speared with a

toothpick (or small fork).

12. Bones and shells should be put on an extra plate.

13. Try a little bit of everything. It is acceptable to ask what something

is.

14. Refuse the first offer of second helpings. But if you want more, accept

the second offer. It is a compliment to go back for more.

15. Finish everything on your plate.

16. Indicate you are finished by placing your chopsticks on the rest or on

the table

Never place them parallel across your rice bowl.

The Art of Gift Wrapping:

1; Be sure to wrap the gift in brightly colored paper. Wrap gifts in red or

yellow paper, since these are royal colors. Alternatively, use blue or

pink, since these denote happiness.

2. Do not wrap gifts in green, white, or black paper.

3. Do not give knives or scissors as gifts. This symbolizes the cutting off

of a relationship.

4. Do not give gifts with red writing on it, or in red wrapping paper. The

color red symbolizes death.

5. Wrapped gifts are never opened in front of the giver.

6. The number 4 is considered unlucky, so gifts should not be given in

multiples of four.

7. Giving 7 of an item is considered lucky.

8. Do not write a Korean’s name in red! If you do, it means that they

are dead. This is not recommended if you are trying to make friends.

I don’t know how much of this is True True but I have surfed a lot of websites an I found these to be the most frequent. I thought the gift wrapping ones to be very interesting and I hope you did too! If you see anymore interesting ones or important ones please let me know!