Restaurants

Tipping is not expected or practiced in Korean restaurants, from street food stalls to high-end dining. Service charges are occasionally included at upscale hotel restaurants (typically 10%, disclosed on the menu) — this is not an additional tip. Leaving cash on the table after a meal can confuse restaurant staff who may assume you have forgotten it.

In Korean culture, excellent service is considered part of the job rather than something that requires additional compensation from the customer.

Taxis

Rounding up the fare or tipping taxi drivers is not customary. Kakao Taxi (Korea's dominant ride-hailing app) is card-payment based with no tip function. For standard metered taxis, simply pay the amount shown on the meter.

Hotels

Tipping hotel staff — porters, housekeeping, concierge — is not standard practice in Korea, including at international five-star properties. Staff at large international chains (Marriott, Hilton, Four Seasons) are accustomed to foreign guests and will not be offended if a tip is offered, but it is genuinely not expected.

How Koreans show appreciation

Koreans show appreciation through genuine verbal thanks, return visits, and in some contexts small packaged gifts rather than cash. If you have had exceptional service from a guide or private driver who has gone significantly beyond what was expected, a specific verbal thanks — or a small gift — is more culturally appropriate than cash.