No. Tipping is not part of Korean culture — not at restaurants, taxis, hotels or salons. The price you see is the price you pay, and tax is already included. Leaving extra money can even cause confusion.
Service charges at high-end hotels are built into the bill. The best way to show appreciation is a sincere 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida — thank you).
🙋 People also ask
What should I do if a tour guide or driver expects a tip?
Private tour guides and chartered drivers are the rare exception where tips are increasingly accepted, especially on English-language tours. A voluntary ₩10,000–30,000 per day is appreciated but never required, and no one will chase you if you skip it.
Do hotels in Korea add a service charge to the bill?
Upscale hotels like the Shilla, Lotte Hotel and Grand Hyatt Seoul add a 10% service charge plus 10% VAT, so the gratuity is already built into your bill. You never need to tip bellhops or housekeeping on top of that.
Is it rude to tip a taxi driver in Korea?
It's not rude, but it's unnecessary and often refused. Just pay the metered fare via T-money card, Kakao T or cash; rounding up a ₩9,800 fare to ₩10,000 is fine, though most drivers will hand back your change.
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