Unlike western culture that is mainly individualistic, Korean culture is very communal. One of the customs you many have noticed is that many Koreans choose to pay for the entire meal of the group instead of split the bill. Although, going Dutch (called Dutch-pay in Korea) has become more common among the young generation, the traditional way of paying for the entire meal can still be spotted easily.
This custom is generated from the Korean culture of showing respect to others. Koreans speak honorifics or show respect depending on age, position, circumstances, etc. This creates a sense of responsibility that older people or seniors should take care of the younger ones. That’s why upperclassmen treat underclassmen at school, and supervisors pay for meals on behalf of junior colleagues at work.
In addition, it can be easily seen that people who make more money pick up the check, or the birthday boy or girl pays for the bill during the gathering. It is also common to take friends or kins out for dinning when giving wedding invitations.
Because of this culture of ‘It’s on me!‘, you might spot a group of people scuffling at the counter trying to pay the bill. For fun, people nowadays randomly mix their credit cards and let the cashier pick the card for payment.
When a Korean offers to treat you, it is probably because he or she values the friendship. So, don’t feel uncomfortable or misunderstand the intention! But when a person offers to pay for the meal, it should never be taken for granted, and it might be a good idea to offer a cup of coffee or dessert as a return after the meal. This will make your friendship stronger. :)
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