Honorifics, hoesik, drinking culture, holidays, and everyday Korean manners
16 posts
Worried about explaining a haircut in Korean? Short phrases for a Korean hair salon: asking about appointments, confirming the service and total price, using a reference photo, agreeing on length before cutting, speaking up during the wash, and checking the result, plus a practice conversation.
Shopping for clothes in Korea? Short Korean phrases for browsing, asking for another size or color, using the fitting room, checking prices and alterations, asking about exchanges and refunds before paying, answering checkout questions, and returning an item for a different size.
Taking a taxi in Korea without speaking Korean? Short phrases to show your destination, answer the driver's questions, explain luggage and passengers, ask about time and fares, request a safe stop, and confirm payment and receipts, plus a practice conversation.
Ordered your coffee, then froze at the barista's next question? Short Korean phrases for ordering at a café: drink and number, hot or iced, for here or takeaway, size and sweetness requests, checkout questions about points and receipts, collecting your order, and what to say when you get stuck.
Running out of clean clothes on your trip? A step-by-step guide to self-service laundromats in Korea: what to search for, key Korean words on the machines, matching the machine number when you pay, checking whether detergent is automatic, choosing a dryer setting, and what to do if a machine won't start.
Tired after a day of sightseeing and craving Korean fried chicken? A step-by-step guide to ordering food delivery to your hotel in Korea: asking reception first, choosing a service you can actually use, entering the right address, reading menu options, avoiding double payments, and collecting your order.
Should you sit down? Is that screen for ordering or the waiting list? Is the price per person? A step-by-step guide to Korean restaurants: reading serving sizes, using kiosks and table tablets, avoiding double orders, side dishes, dietary requests, paying, and the five sentences to save before your first meal.
Checked out but your flight is hours away? How to choose between hotel storage, station lockers, staffed counters, and airport delivery in Seoul, what to check on price and collection time, what to keep out of the bag, and the Korean phrases to show at the counter.
Several search results, one is in another city, another is a different branch — which one did the video show? A step-by-step guide to setting Naver Map to English, confirming the exact place, choosing a route, checking bus and subway directions, finding the entrance, and reading opening-hour notices.
Chuseok 2026 runs from September 24 to 26. A practical guide to checking whether restaurants, shops, attractions, transport, and online orders will still work — including the short Korean holiday notices you will see and the messages to send before you head out.