Seven ways to out yourself at a Korean table
Drinking here is not something you do alone. It is something you exchange. There are seven rules, and all of them are fixable in one night.
Nothing here is written down. Nobody will correct you — they will just notice. These seven are the noticing points, and all of them come from one idea: drinking is something you exchange, not something you do.
01 · Never pour your own
Watch the glass next to you and yours gets filled. That is how the table works. Pouring your own reads as a small announcement that you are here alone.
02 · Two hands, always
Giving and receiving. One hand in front of someone older reads as rude. Hold the bottle by the body, not the neck — pour with your right hand and rest your left on your forearm or the bottle.
03 · Turn away to drink
First glass in front of someone senior, turn your body slightly away. It is the smallest move on this list and the most visible one. Doing just this earns you a lot of credit.
04 · Do not refuse the first glass
Cannot drink? Accept it and touch it to your lips. Pushing the glass away reads as pushing the person away. Take it, then leave it sitting — nobody will push.
05 · Watch their glass, not yours
Do not leave an empty glass sitting. It is not about pushing alcohol — it is about paying attention. This single habit is what gives a Korean table its rhythm.
06 · Do not top up a half-full glass
Wait until it is finished. Mixing pours reads as a mistake, not a courtesy. Wait for the glass to empty, then fill it.
07 · One person pays per round
Splitting the bill kills the mood. You pay for the next round instead — that is exactly right. A Korean night is counted in 차수 (rounds): 1차 dinner, 2차 bar, 3차 club, 4차 hangover soup, and a different person covers each one.
Things to actually say
And the food
You do not order drinks on their own at a Korean bar. The table orders 안주 — a shared dish — and it runs ₩18,000–23,000. The small plate that arrives unasked (기본안주) is a different thing and it is free.
Good places to sit down and drink
Can I pour my own drink in Korea?
You can, but it looks odd. The convention is that people fill each other’s glasses — pay attention to the glass next to you and yours gets filled in return.
What if I do not drink?
Accept the first glass, touch it to your lips and leave it. Saying "저는 술이 약해요" (I am a lightweight) usually ends the pushing. Just avoid physically pushing the glass away.
Who pays in Korea?
One person covers each round. Splitting the bill is seen as killing the mood; instead, someone else pays for the next round.
Do I tip at a Korean bar?
No. Korea does not tip. The only exception is a nightclub waiter.