Tipping in Korea: housekeeping, guides, taxis and leftover coins
Someone heading to Seoul the following week asked on the Tripadvisor Seoul forum: what is the tipping culture, if any? They were thinking of hotel housekeeping, restaurant staff, tour guides and taxis, and also wondered what to do with leftover coins at the end.
What the replies said
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Tipping isn't expected. People won't necessarily refuse, and some guides who work a lot with certain tourist groups may be used to it, but it is not the norm.
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One regular traveller said they don't tip anywhere in East Asia, Korea included.
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A family on a full-day private tour asked their hotel concierge beforehand and were told there's no tipping culture. At the end the guide said goodbye, helped them out of the car and left, with no awkward pause.
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For coins: spend them at an airport convenience store on water and snacks, or put them in a donation box.
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One person was puzzled that some tour listings say "tips not included". The reply: probably just a template.
The thread was almost unanimous: no tip needed, and nobody will think you rude for not leaving one.
Desk note Wikipedia's summary matches the thread: tipping isn't customary in Korea and isn't expected in the general service industry. High-end hotels and restaurants often add a service charge of 10–15%, which is always on the bill, and no extra gratuity is expected on top.
Have you ever tried to tip in Korea? What happened?
Original thread: Tripadvisor Seoul forum — tipping questions before a first trip · Reference: Wikipedia
A practical restaurant detail that fits this thread: in many Korean restaurants you pay at the counter by the door on your way out rather than leaving money on the table, and at kiosk-style places you pay before you eat. Either way, the price you see is what you pay unless the bill shows a separate service charge, which is mostly a hotel or fine-dining thing.