A comprehensive 101 guide on the etiquette of tipping in Korea for different scenarios, restaurants, and dining situations.
Are you planning a trip to Korea?
It’s a lovely country with a fascinating history, delicious food, and friendly people. However, one cultural aspect that may be different from other parts of the world is the practice of tipping.
Do you tip in Korea? The short answer is no.
Locals might feel offended if you attempt to tip them, as it can be perceived as treating them like beggars.
But for a more detailed breakdown and exceptions to the rule, here’s my guide on navigating payment culture on your South Korea trip.
Key Takeaways
- Tipping is not part of Korean culture, so you don’t have to worry about leaving a gratuity in any situation, even in exceptional service. The only people who pay tips in Korea are foreigners, not Koreans. When Koreans pay, they only pay what is exactly on the bill.
- Not tipping is the safest way to avoid offending people. Tipping risks causing unnecessary misunderstandings and upsetting people because the gesture is seen as looking down on people.
- Tipping in South Korea (especially if it’s only 1,000 Won or two) carries strong tones of class division.It’s often interpreted as a higher-class showing showing off or being demeaning to a lower-class individual. So even if you have good intentions, the gesture can be hurtful or piss someone off.
- When someone asks for a tip, especially in Seoul, they’re targeting naive tourists. This tactic is similar to giving different prices to tourists and locals.
- When Koreans want to show appreciation, they leave a 5-star review online or on a Delivery app instead of leaving a tip.
Exceptions
- If you want to tip cab drivers, you can leave a small tip bypaying in cash, rounding upto the nearest 1,000 Won blue bill, andletting the taxi driver keep the change.
- Sometimes, small businesses have tip jars. Leaving a tip here will be okay with everyone.
- Fine dining or luxury establishments can be exceptions to the no-tipping rule.But instead of leaving extra cash at the end of your meal,high-end restaurants will automatically charge a service feeto the bill that will show on your receipt. You don’t pay gratuity on top of a service charge.
- Large events are another exception. When there’s a large party, restaurants may include a percent tip or service charge in the bill that shows on your receipt.
- This “service charge” or tip will be shown on your bill set by the business. It’s not an ambiguous number.
Tipping in Korea
Despite good intentions, tipping runs the risk of offending someone. It can quickly cause unnecessary misunderstandings, especially with the language barrier.
If a Korean does not know what tipping culture is, their response can be, “Why are you giving me this? I’m not a beggar. It’s better to give me nothing. I get paid only for what I earned.” They can also interpret it as you showing off your wealth and letting them know how far below you they are in class.
Even though they don’t say it to your face, they might still get internally upset. People may or may not rant about it directly to your face.
So, not tipping is the safest way to approach gratuity in Korea. It’s not rolling the dice for unintentionally upsetting someone.
If a Korean does know about tipping culture and you still want to tip (this can be a situation for tour operators and translators), the best way is to give just a straight 5,000 Won red bill (~$5) or 10,000 Won green bill (~$10).
Anything less can give off offensive “you’re a beggar” vibes. Anything more can give “I’m flaunting my wealth in front of you, low-class person” vibes.
But then again, not tipping is the safest way IMHO.
Tipping in Korean Restaurants
Restaurants, Diners, & Eateries
Most Western tourists expect to pay tips while dining out. It almost feels awkward not to tip at a restaurant!
However, in Korea, tipping culture is not part of local customs. The general rule is that you don’t leave tips at Korean restaurants.
If Korean people want to show appreciation for great food and service, they leave a glowing 5-star review online instead of a tip. Or you can order more food and services.
If someone verbally asks for a monetary tip, it can be a red flag for a business that targets tourists.
I see this a lot in Seoul, especially in Myeongdong restaurants.
Whenever I see a large English menu board outside and people beckoning, I tend to steer away. In my experience, these places often take advantage of tourists. Some practices that happen in these touristy locations are giving higher prices to foreigners or asking Western-looking visitors for tips (especially ones who tell everyone they’re American).
I’m generally wary of this when I’m in Busan or Seoul as a foreigner. In other cities like Yeosu, I don’t typically experience this.
Like in any other country, speaking the local language deters people from doing these kinds of things. Even if you look different, being able to ask questions makes you less of an easy target.
Fine Dining & Luxury Western Style Restaurants
High-end restaurants will often automatically add a service fee to the bill. This is similar to gratuity, but it’s divided between the wait staff and the restaurant owner, usually not going 100% to the staff members.
If you dine at upscale Western restaurants, it’s more common for foreign visitors to leave tips on the dinner table for excellent service. Before leaving a tip, check to see if there’s a “percent service charge” on your receipt.
You do not pay tips on top of a percent service charge already added to your restaurant bill, even at Western-style restaurants.
Large Groups and Events
Tips are automatically added to a bill if a special event or large party occurs at a restaurant.
This service fee can be seen on the receipt.
What if a Waiter Verbally asks for a Tip
A waiter verbally asking for tips is often a scam. In tourist areas, many know that foreign travelers expect to pay tips, and sometimes, restaurants will specifically target or take advantage of that. This happens primarily in Seoul or Busan.
In cities like Seoul or Busan, you can find Korean restaurants with eye-catching banners in English along the sidewalks, displaying colorful photo menus. Wait staff sometimes beckons patrons to enter the restaurant by the door.
Don’t fall for these!
Normal restaurants don’t have people beckoning people at the doors. If they have good food, they don’t have to. These restaurants usually target tourists who may not know how much food costs in Korea. They charge much more for meals than local restaurants in these areas.
These restaurants in touristy districts might have a not-so-subtle way of hinting for tips. They’ll directly ask. But it’s more like a “let’s see how much we can get out of these tourists” kind of vibe. It’s pretty sus and hints at shady stuff going on IMHO.
Tipping for Taxi Drivers & Transit
Cab & Taxi Drivers
Tipping culture is slightly different for taxi drivers, who don’t expect a tip but will take one if you feel generous.
Tipping is not expected in taxis, but rounding up the fare is common, especially when paying in cash.
You typically round up a small amount to the nearest paper denomination. For example, if your fare costs 8,250 Won, it’s common to round up to 9,000 Won or give a 10,000 Won green bill.
Taxi drivers like this for a few reasons:
- It gets you out of their car faster (so they can drive to the next customer).
- They won’t have to fiddle with coins or a credit card reading machine (especially with foreign credit cards that sometimes have issues).
- They don’t have to wait for you to count your change.
Most cab drivers will let you know when they have received enough by saying “tehsoyo,” which means “that’s enough” in Korean, or by saying “get out,” which makes sense because they want you out of their vehicle!
However, due to the popularity of mobile payments, tipping like this is a dying practice. Most Koreans will pay the exact amount via their phone. Nearly everyone now has Samsung or Kakao Pay, so there’s no longer a need to carry cash, a credit card, or a wallet. Many people do not; instead, they use their phones to pay or take transit.
Keep in mind that foreign versions of Google and Apple Pay only work in certain establishments. Samsung phones for Samsung Pay are country-locked, so International Samsung Pay may not work here even if you have a Samsung phone. Also, because of the widespread use of mobile payments, I find that there are more and more broken card-reading machines in taxis. Thus, unless you bought the phone in Korea, keeping cash or a T-money card (which can be purchased at most convenience stores) for taxis is the safest option.
If you load enough cash onto your transit T-money card at a nearby convenience store, you can use it as another payment option for your taxi ride.
Public Transit
Don’t worry about tipping if you’re riding a bus. You don’t tip on the subway or pay more than the standard fare.
Just make sure you tap your T-Money Card (transit card) when you enter and get off the bus so you pay the distance you traveled instead of the maximum fare.
When you board, the T-money scanner will be next to the bus driver, displaying how much money you have left on the card. There are also two scanners next to the bus exit, which you scan out before you go to pay only for the distance you traveled.
Tipping at Hotels
Hotel Staff
You will not be expected to tip hotel staff.
No one will ask for a tip, so it’s best not to offer one. It may seem like an innocent gesture, but you may offend someone if you try or appear to be pushing Western tipping culture.
Some hotels may include “service charges” in your bill, which will be automatically added to your final invoice when you check out.
These service charges are usually around 5% of the total bill.
Tipping at Hair Salons
Tipping is not customary if you get your hair cut or nails done in Korea.
If you want to show appreciation for their outstanding service, most people leave a glowing 5-star review online, on Instagram, or review apps instead.
Tipping for Food Delivery
Food Delivery Service
There is no gratuity for food delivery. You wait for your food to arrive and pay what you’re told on your phone app.
It’s that simple!
The app usually has a delivery charge of 1,000 – 3,000 Won (~$1-3 U.S. dollars). An alternative way to show appreciation is to follow Korean delivery etiquette.
Tipping at Bars and Clubs
Bars, Pubs, & Clubs
You don’t tip bartenders in Korea, even if they make you the most lovely drink in the world.
The only exception is if you reserved a VIP or large group section at a bar, club, or karaoke room. Expats in Korea tend to reserve them for parties and gatherings because it gives people a place to sit down, meet, and not get lost.
However, know that you’re expected to tip if random people start pouring your drinks and enthusiastically playing the tambourine while you’re belting out Green Day or Britney Spears. These people are called hosts or hostesses; the tip goes directly to them, not the club owner. This is technically the only true tip culture that Korea has culturally, but it has clear negative connotations to it.
That’s another reason why people can be offended if you give them tips. When they think of the word “tip,” they frequently think of this host and hostess tip, which has negative attachments.
Tipping Tour Guides & Translators
Travel Industry Workers
It’s not expected to tip tour guides, but it’s a nice gesture.
Usually, a private tour guide or translator will have some understanding of Western tipping culture.
Tour guides tend to be more understanding of these things. They’ll more likely get you’re trying to spread the good vibes with good intentions.
So, if you’re impressed with your tour guide and want to give them an extra tip, the best way is to give a straight 5,000 Won tip (~$5) or 10,000 Won ($10). These amounts are considered a straightforward tip. I wouldn’t give a lower or higher tip to minimize potentially offending someone.
When I do leave a tip, I usually stick to the 5,000/10,000 Won rule in these situations. Going outside of this rule often results in someone getting hurt or pissed off.
It’s too low, and locals can view it as if they’re being treated like beggars. It’s too high, and the tipper comes off as ungrateful, bragging about their riches—the exact opposite of what visitors are trying to do!
My Closing Thoughts
Tipping culture can get confusing fast, particularly while traveling in a foreign country. Choosing how much to tip as a traveler and how it will be received often feels like a game of chance.
Luckily, you don’t pay tips in Korea (except for a few service charges for large parties and luxury dining). Nice and simple.
I hope this do you tip in Korea guide makes navigating the world of transactions and tipping in Korea easier. Happy roaming!
