Tips to Know When Attending a Korean Wedding | Expat Kids Korea: For Children and Families in Seoul Korea (2024)

FAQs

What is the etiquette for Korean weddings? ›

The attendants wash the bride and groom's hands to symbolize cleansing themselves for the ceremony. Facing one another, the bride and groom bow to one another—the bride bowing twice to the groom, the groom bowing once to the bride, the bride bowing two more times, and then the groom bowing once more.

At Korean weddings, it's customary for guests to give “congratulatory money” in an envelope. The money helps pay for the reception and goes as a gift to the couple. The amount varies depending on social status and relationship to the newlyweds. For a close friend or colleague, you may give over 300,000 won ($233).

In Korea, wearing a calm and darker shade outfit is recommended as a respect for the bride. Most of the male guests wear suits in black, while female guests are most likely to wear navy, beige, or pastels. In Korea, giving congratulatory money to the couple is another unique ritual.

Dress Code

For women, a clean dress, cardigan, and tidy heels will do. For men, a suit, dress shirt, trousers, and tie is expected. During the wedding, you'll notice a variety of outfits, and some guests may even show up in traditional hanbok, especially if they're relatives of the bride and groom.

As a rule, it's best to dress simply and conservatively, and there is no taboo of wearing dark colours such as black or grey to weddings in Korea.

If a guest was to show up in white at a Korean wedding she would not be vilified as a social pariah. The unwritten rule prohibiting any guest from wearing white is not common in Korea as it is in Western countries.

For closer friends and family, you may want to consider going to $200, or higher if you can afford it. For others, $100 to $150 is more than okay as a wedding gift amount.

Sometimes, the two families will split the cost of the wedding equally. In other cases, the bride and groom may cover all of the costs themselves. Ultimately, there is no set rule for who pays for a Korean wedding. It is up to the couples and their families to decide what makes the most sense for them financially.

The ceremony is quick, and usually never lasts longer than one-half hour. After the vows are spoken, and the wine is finished, the family and guests will participate in a simple meal.

Though most Americans expect extravagant banquets during a wedding reception, the only required traditional food for Korean weddings is noodle soup. Very traditional couples might skip the white glove dinner altogether and serve a kook soo sang (“noodle banquet”) with only noodle soup and sticky rice cakes for dessert.

What does the red dot on the forehead mean in Korean culture? ›

The traditional outfit worn by the bride is specifically called a 한복, and the primary colors are red and green. Red dots the size of coins are painted on the bride's cheeks to repel evil spirits.

These five colors are blue, red, white, black, and yellow. You will find these colors to be prominent in 'Hanbok' (Korean traditional attire), Korean paintings, musical instruments and festivals, architecture, flags and traditional symbols, and of course – Korean food!

It doesn't matter if the dress code requests "casual" attire, jeans, T-shirts, shorts, flip-flops, and sneakers are never appropriate to wear as a wedding guest. Show respect for the bride and groom by dressing formally. Sabatino suggests that men show up in a jacket and tie, even when the invitation says casual.

Simply put, women should wear a formal, floor-length evening gown—no exceptions—with jewelry, heels, and an elegant clutch. Men are required to wear a tuxedo with tails, a formal white shirt, a vest, a bow tie, white or gray gloves, and formal footwear, such as derby shoes or oxfords.

As a rule of thumb, your family should dress at your formality level or just one below. Another quick tip is to have both of the dads rent coordinating suits. The father of the bride will generally wear/rent a suit to walk the bride down the aisle.

"Guests can absolutely wear black to a wedding," says Shawne Jacobs, President and Creative Director of Anne Barge. "In the past, black was a color typically worn for mourning. However, over the years couples have been more open to breaking the rules and opting for non-traditional, modern wedding dress codes.

To recap: as long as it's not considered culturally inappropriate or against the dress code, you can wear black to a wedding. Depending on where the couple is exchanging vows, which season their special day is taking place in, and what time of day everything begins, black may or may not be your best color option.

Yes, it can absolutely be appropriate to wear black to a wedding, and it isn't typically considered disrespectful (although there are exceptions). While black attire was traditionally associated with mourning and funerals, times are changing — and so are fashion rules!

In Korea, the Family name comes first and is followed by the given name.

Korean Wedding reception

But in general, the whole Korean reception is short and sweet. Meals will be served immediately after the ceremony. It may be no dancing, no speeches, and no DJs or live bands. The newlyweds eat at their table and then greet the guests table by table.

Do you wear wedding rings in Korea? ›

Many older couples don't wear wedding bands and it is usually the younger couples who choose to wear couple, engagement, or wedding rings. Diamonds were not traditionally used in Korean jewellery.

They suggest the following breakdown: coworkers or distant relatives should spend 50 to 75 dollars. Friends or relatives, 75 to 100 dollars. For close friends, family, or if you are in the wedding party, you should spend 100 to 150 dollars—or more.

Upon consulting the experts, a wedding gift should range from $75 to $750—but most agree that $300+ is the sweet spot.

The average wedding gift amount hovers right around $100, which is a great place to start, and you can increase or decrease that based on how close you are.

An age gap of 12 years is significant in Korean culture because it means that the couple is a full zodiac cycle apart.

In the wedding planning process, the bride's family is responsible for all the major expenses of the wedding ceremony and reception including the venue fees, flower arrangements and decorations, wedding stationery, transport, photography and videography, wedding cake and the bride's attire.

Bowing and handshakes

Koreans bow to those senior to them both as a greeting and a show of respect. The junior person initiates the bow, bending from the waist to an angle of between 30 and 45 degrees from vertical. A less accentuated bow is returned as acknowledgment from the more senior person.

Korean names consist of two parts: a family name and a given name. Traditionally, a child takes their father's surname like in many other cultures, but Korean women do not take their husband's surname after marriage.

In general, Korean weddings are over quickly and aren't - to my European sensitivities - very festive. The dress code for guests could best be described as business or business-casual, partly stemming from the fact that a large part of the guests is comprised of co-workers.

Wearing a ring on different fingers has different meanings in South Korea. A couple ring is traditionally worn on the ring finger. Whether it's on the right or left hand doesn't matter. A ring on the ring finger is a sign of love and commitment.

What are the red dots at Korean weddings? ›

At a traditional wedding, Korean women wear cute pink/red dots, called 연지곤지 (Yeonji Gonji) on their cheeks to chase away ghosts and keep the wedding sacred. They're also used as a symbol of youth or virginity.

The four rites of passage celebrated in this tradition are the coming of age (Gwallye; Hangul: 관례), marriage (Hollye; Hangul: 혼례), death, or the funeral rites (Sangrye; Hangul: 상례), and rites venerating the ancestors (Jerye; Hangul: 제례).

Red and white are more than just the colors of love and purity, in Korea, they are also considered auspicious colors. So gifting Red Roses, White Daisies, Chrysanthemums, Lilies and other white flowers is the way to go. Flowers symbolizing love like Roses and Lilies are indispensable to a wedding bouquet.

Hindu tradition holds that all people have a third inner eye. The two physical eyes are used for seeing the external world, while the third focuses inward toward God. As such, the red dot signifies piety as well as serving as a constant reminder to keep God at the center of one's thoughts.

Moles on the face of Korean celebrities are not necessarily more common than in the general population, and having a mole on the face does not have any particular meaning or symbolism in Korean culture.

Religious significance

The meaning of the jieba varies, with some definitions being refuge in the three jewels, or alternatively symbolizing the three Buddhist characteristics of discipline, concentration, and wisdom, especially when these marks are made in multiples of three.

Everything from health supplements, teas, and vitamins to red ginseng are great gifts in Korea. Ginseng works well for gifts to Korean in-laws. On that same note, you can also send high-end food products like Hanwoo beef, expensive mushrooms, and wild ginseng too.

Love, passion, and romance are all connected to the color red. It is also linked to war, ruthlessness, and violence. The balance of red and blue has great meaning in Korean culture.

In Korea's traditional culture, flowers and butterflies were among the most popular subjects because of their auspicious meaning. The peony – the "king of flowers" – and the butterfly are considered symbols of prosperity and a state of contentment.

In Korea, it is customary for the groom's family to pay for the wedding. This includes the cost of the venue, food, and other expenses. The bride's family usually pays for her wedding dress and other incidentals.

Do bride and groom kiss in Korean wedding? ›

Korean weddings do not have exchanging of vows or rings like westernized wedding ceremonies. Another difference is the bride and groom do not kiss, when announced as husband and wife.

Korean couples usually get a couples' ring when they hit the 100 days mark of being together. All in all, we hope and expect you to have fun if you choose to date while living in Korea. You could experience so many great things by having a partner here; however, your life will be fun and fulfilling even without one!

You might be aware that the bride's family is expected to cover the majority of the wedding day costs, while the groom's family pays for a variety of extra activities, like the rehearsal dinner and the honeymoon.

The groom's family traditionally paid for all costs associated with the rehearsal dinner and honeymoon, wedding day transportation, and the officiant. The groom paid for the bride's engagement ring, wedding ring, and groomsmen gifts. It is also common for the groom's family to pay for the alcohol at the reception.

For traditional Korean weddings, the exchange of symbolic food between the to-be married couple, as well as between the two families, is very important. Traditional Hanbok are worn and, among other elements, lavishly decorated dishes and lots of bowing dominate the ceremony.

The Bride + Groom's Attire

Together, the energy is balanced. Red dots the size of coins are painted on the bride's cheeks to ward off evil spirits. Today, many Korean American brides opt to wear white and might change into a traditional dress, called a hanbok, for certain ceremonies of the day.

Traditionally, Korean would-be-grooms proposed to their sweethearts by sending a letter — to her parents. For modern-day Koreans, the norm is generally that the couple come to a mutual agreement to be wed.

The thumb ring is said to symbolize freedom. Worn by singles and those with a free-spirited attitude, it's not just a fashionable way to wear your accessories, but also a clever way to send a sign to any potential partners.

Wearing a ring on different fingers has different meanings in South Korea. A couple ring is traditionally worn on the ring finger. Whether it's on the right or left hand doesn't matter. A ring on the ring finger is a sign of love and commitment. A ring on your index finger represents friendship.

Rules restricting marriage

In Korea, a child inherits his or her father's surname. Traditionally, men and women who have the same surnames and "ancestral homes", called dongseong dongbon (Hangul: 동성동본, Hanja: 同姓同本), are not permitted to marry.

Do Koreans show affection in public? ›

Can You Show Affection in Public? Public displays of affection (PDA) is a sin most Korean couples commit. While you should keep the steamy make-out sessions private, PDA tends to happen on the norm in Korean dating culture. Holding hands, giving a peck, or even a kiss is a usual sight.

At present, South Korea is the only country that practises routine male circumcision among its immediate geographical and cultural neighbours. For instance, the vast majority of the population in Russia, Mongolia, China and Japan do not practise circumcision.