How to Ride the Seoul Subway Like a Local: Etiquette and Tips – Seoulistic

How to Ride the Seoul Subway Like a Local: Etiquette and Tips

If you’re traveling to Korea, you will most likely find yourself using the Seoul Subway system. It’s fast, cheap and convenient. But before you hop on that train, you should read this post so you know the subway etiquette in Korea!

Donโ€™t Sit in the Priority Seating (Stank Eye Warning!)

So maybe you decided to go hiking at Bukhan Mountainย and you’re on your way back. Youโ€™re sweaty, stinky and most of all tired, but all the seats are taken โ€“ all except for the priority seats at the end of the subway cars. You might be tempted to sit there, but you shouldnโ€™t. Hereโ€™s a little secretโ€ฆ itโ€™s a death trap! Wellโ€ฆ culturally at least. Korean people really donโ€™t like it when non-pregnant, non-elderly, uninjured people sit there. Even when the Seoul subways are extra full, people will avoid sitting there because they want to make sure that people who actually need those seats can sit down easily. Also, they are afraid ofย Korean stank eye. Scary!

Tip 1: These seats are also reserved for little children as well.
Tip 2: Koreans usually don’t sit there, and think “I’ll just get up when someone comes.” Leaving those seats empty is normal protocol. Try to do the same ๐Ÿ™‚

Give Up Your Seat To Be Awesome!

If youโ€™re sitting in the middle seats, youโ€™re totally ok to just sit and watch that last episode of Gossip Girls on your smart phone. No one will say anything, and they shouldnโ€™t! Butโ€ฆ if you want to be an awesome Seoul subway rider, you should give up your seat for those that need it more than you do. That means pregnant women, the elderly, injured people, and in Koreaโ€ฆ children! One of the awesome things about Korean culture is that it’s focused on helping each other, and the subways are really excellent places to see this in action. Help out a Korean that needs a seat, and the mayor of Seoul might just give you the totally unofficial “Seoul Awesome Subway Rider Award”! Yay!

Language tip: ์•‰์œผ์„ธ์š” (anjeuseyo) โ€“ Please sit.




Be a Righty on the Escalators

Have you ever been frustrated by slow walkers? You knowโ€ฆ those people that are always in your way and have no idea that youโ€™re trying to get past them? Donโ€™t be that person. Nothingโ€™s more frustrating than congested foot traffic, and the escalators found at the Seoul subway stations are excellent places to be locked behind a Korean couple that have no idea that 32 people are waiting to walk ahead of them! If youโ€™re not planning on walking up the escalators, stay to the right and let everyone walk past you on the left. Some people in Korea forget to do it, but keep in mind that itโ€™s what youโ€™re supposed to do. Also, youโ€™re supposed to give a high five to everyone that passes you by! “Come’on ajumma, high-five!”

Tip: ์ž ์‹œ๋งŒ์š” (jamsimanyo) โ€“ excuse me

Be Cool with Pushing and Shoving

For whatever reason, a lot of Korean people donโ€™t say excuse me on the subways. Maybe itโ€™s their aversion ofย talking to strangers in Korea. But instead of a polite little โ€œexcuse meโ€ from someone about to get off, you might just get a forearm shiver to your lower back. Thatโ€™s mostly the older Korean people who are probably hummingย Ludacris’ Move B—-ย when they’re shoving people out the way. The younger people though, tend to be just as annoyed as you!

What can you do about it? Be cool homie! When youโ€™re getting off, you can of course, say โ€œexcuse meโ€ (see language tip below), and people will move away just the same. You have the option of shoving everyone right back too. But if youโ€™re reading thisโ€ฆ youโ€™re cool! So stay cool, friends ๐Ÿ˜‰

Language tip:
์ž ์‹œ๋งŒ์š” (jamsimanyo) โ€“ excuse me.
๋‚ด๋ฆด๊ฒŒ์š” (naerilgeyo) โ€“ Iโ€™m getting off.

Seoul Subway Do’s and Don’ts – Stuff You Already Know (or Should!)

Sometimes, people can forget some common subway etiquette that is translatable nearly every where in the world (Koreans and foreigners alike!). But we’re going to play the common sense police just in case ;). Here are some common subway etiquettes for riding the subway in Korea:

1. Talk at normal decible levels – that goes for phones and super hilarious jokes.
2. Sit on seats (wow, can’t believe we just wrote that!). Unless you want to make the Korean news likeย these guys.
3. There are plenty of trains. Try not to hold doors.
4. Seats are for people.ย Put your bags up on top.
5. Sleeping is ok, just don’t make the subway your bed ๐Ÿ˜‰

Got any other local Seoul subway tips? Share with us in the comments section!

Keith
Keith
Keith Kim is a Korean-American who has been living in Korea for almost a decade. Being in a unique position as both a Korean and a non-Korean, he's put all his experience and knowledge for surviving in Korea in Survival Korean . Read it to learn how you can survive in Korea. Follow him on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

28 Comments

  1. Doug M says:

    An excellent article and sorely needed. Interestingly, I’ve observed almost the exact same social rules in Japan on both trains and buses. Most of its probably common-sense really but easy to forget in a car-culture if you know what I mean.

  2. Keith says:

    Yes! Japan and Korea have very similar public transportation etiquettes. But I can tell you, NYC is a bit different ๐Ÿ˜›

  3. Righty says:

    Escalator tip is incorrect.

    Whilst Metro 9 and the provincial networks seem free of rules (being privately/seperately owned), the Seoul City and Korail-owned lines 1 through 8 regularly have large signs in Korean posted all over the shot reminding you to block both lanes and never walk. Nowadays, its a civic pride thing (Seoul’s sparkling escalator culture or somesuch) but the rule harkens back to the earlier days of the network to reduce uneven pressure on the mechanics.

  4. Keith says:

    You’re right righty! (haha)
    But eventho the signs say don’t do it, I see it everyday at ALL subway stations. So that’s why I included the tip. Might not be what the government wants, but it’s what Korean people do ๐Ÿ˜‰

  5. Carrie Ang says:

    Okay..that escalator last tip so far was the most hilarious! Come on who would actually high-5 a total stranger?! And I know Koreans can get abit intimidated by English-speaking like us. Yup been there, done that. But I do wish to go again!! Feels like home there~โ™ฅ

  6. JonB says:

    If we see (non-qualifying) expats sitting in the priority seats, should we say something? Or just join in the stank-eye?

  7. Keith says:

    I think it’s up to you! Most people probably won’t say anything, but if there’s a person that really needs the seat, a suggestion is always nice ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Gabriel says:

    I really enjoyed the tips!! I like a lot the korean culture, as soon as possible I’ll make a visit!
    Cngrats 4 the website, it’s helping a lot!!
    CYA!

  9. Miem says:

    oh this article reminded me of my own experiences travelling in Korea~ i did some of the good stuffs listed back then~ IM PROUD OF MYSELF~ ^___^

  10. Wiwik says:

    I like the tips about the right and left at the escalator. I was in Seoul last fall and forgot about that rule…no wonder I get grumpy look from some business suit guy, who looked in a hurry.. and I was there standing on the right side of the escalatorโ€ฆthen I said, oopsss

    Love the website!!

  11. Keith says:

    Thanks all! Great you’re liking the tips and the site! ๐Ÿ™‚

  12. Umut says:

    Its same in Turkey , too…

  13. Andre says:

    Another one for “Be Awesome” section: if you see an empty seat next to you on one side and and a girl (sitting on another side) talks to her boyfriend/mom/friend/you-name-it who is standing – move to the empty seat and expect and polite “Thank you”

  14. Keith says:

    Nice one Andre! ๐Ÿ˜‰

  15. Angel says:

    When I was in Korea last year I didn’t sit in the priority seats for fear of doing something wrong (even when the whole car was next to empty). But during my stay I saw a lot of Korean teens and people in their 20’s who sat in those seats.

  16. Eva says:

    Sat in the priority seat once….. BAD MEMORIES. =_= Don’t ever sit there, really… Those ahjussis were close to actually killing me with their stares!

  17. AJ says:

    OMG remembered sitting on those priority seats from seoul to incheon subway and i was wondering why people are staring weirdly at me LOL. realized later what i had done, it’s really a bad experience..

  18. drcute says:

    OMG i cant believe that that that!!!
    i just saw the pic in last paragraph 2nd point !
    how can this foreigners sit on floor and playing cards n drinking!its really illegal and disturbing thing!
    i think they know korean rules and just they wana be rebel law-rule breakers!!!
    but this action showing how they have light personality!!!
    hey guys! its not ur livingroom..its a public transportation
    aiguuuuuuuu

  19. wobee says:

    I sat at the priority seat twice! LOL

    first time was intentional, i mean an ahjumma invited me to sit so i sat beside her.

    the 2nd one was accidental, i was so tired during the day’s tour so when i got on the train i sat at the nearest empty seat.

    i don’t remember experiencing the stank eye, or maybe i just didn’t noticed ๐Ÿ˜€

    • Casey says:

      Well, same here ^_^ I actually sat on that priority seat once on my way to Gangnam from Seoul, during my very first Korean trip. I didn’t notice if someone threw a stank eye at me, but when I saw an ajumma entered the train, I immediately stood and offered the seat to her hehe

  20. Swee says:

    Thanks for this post. I have to bear in mind when I am in Seoul to stand to the right of the escalator. In Spore, it is the opposite, stand on left side and walk on right.

  21. unkichikun says:

    Remember,
    none of the rules above apply to ajumma and ajussi, they rule the subway and can do exactly.as.they.want.
    talking loudly, pushing you, sleeping on your shoulder, etc…

  22. Hema says:

    Literally just found this site and can’t get enough of it. This post is especially hilarious and I’m glad I’m not the only one that sings to that Ludacris song in my head although I always say excuse me.
    Good job Keith ๐Ÿ™‚

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