What Foreigners Should NEVER Do When Working in Korea
You’ve successfully secured your E-7 visa and joined the Korean corporate world. Fantastic! Now, here is the secret truth: your technical skills got you the job, but your understanding of unwritten office rules and cultural taboos will determine your success and longevity.
Korean workplaces run on a strict, subtle code of conduct rooted in hierarchy and social harmony. Making these mistakes won’t get you fired instantly, but they will cause friction, damage your reputation (Che-myon), and make it incredibly difficult to advance.
As a local, I’m here to give you the honest, essential list of what foreigners should ABSOLUTELY AVOID doing in the Korean office. Master this, and you’ll thrive!
1. NEVER Skip the Formal Language (Jondaemal)
The Taboo: Using casual speech (Banmal) with anyone senior to you (even if they use English with you), or failing to use proper titles.
The Why: Hierarchy (Jik-geup) is the operating system of the Korean office. Using casual speech with a senior manager is seen as highly disrespectful, arrogant, and unprofessional. Always use Jondaemal and proper titles like Manager-nim or Bujang-nim.
2. NEVER Challenge a Superior Publicly
The Taboo: Directly or loudly correcting your manager or director in front of the team, or aggressively debating their decision in a meeting.
The Why: This causes the superior to lose Che-myon (face/honor), which is one of the most severe social offenses in Korea. Decisions flow top-down. If you have an issue, address it respectfully, privately, and with formal language.
3. NEVER Refuse a Team Dinner (Hwae-shik)
The Taboo: Consistently declining Hwae-shik (team dinner/outing) invitations without an extremely good, verifiable reason.
The Why: Hwae-shik is not optional social time; it is considered an extension of the workday where team loyalty and cohesion (Jeong) are built. Consistent refusal suggests you lack commitment to the team.
4. NEVER Be Late (Punctuality is Non-Negotiable)
The Taboo: Arriving even one minute late for a meeting or the start of the workday.
The Why: Punctuality is the fundamental test of your sincerity and diligence (Seong-sil). Being late suggests irresponsibility and disrespect for the time of the collective. Arrive 10 minutes early to prepare your desk.
5. NEVER Leave Before the Senior Manager
The Taboo: Being the first person to stand up and leave at 6 PM sharp, especially if the team leader or director is still at their desk.
The Why: This violates Nunchi (reading the room) and shows a lack of collective commitment. It suggests you are abandoning your team when there might be work to do (Yageun). Wait 15–30 minutes, or politely inform your manager before leaving.
6. NEVER Present a Problem Without a Solution
The Taboo: Simply pointing out a flaw or a problem in a system or project without offering a suggested remedy.
The Why: In a high-stakes environment, complaining is unproductive. Superiors expect subordinates to bring solutions, not just identify failures.
7. NEVER Forget the Two-Handed Ritual
The Taboo: Handing reports, business cards, or your senior manager their drink with only one hand.
The Why: This is a non-verbal cue that signals disrespect for the person’s rank or status. Always use two hands for exchanges with superiors.