In Korean, formality and informality is a way in the language to express respect and friendliness.
It is extremely important to speak in a formal manner to elders and people you are not familiar with. There are more rules and techniques, but as an example, as a general rule of thumb, formality is expressed by adding "yo" at the end of a statement. In Korean, formality of the language is important in society and building relationships. It also is a way of determining your character, because if you were younger than someone and you were speaking informally, your character would not be judged well.
Informality is a way of expressing being friendly and close to an individual. Additionally, Korean is spoken in an informal manner between friends of the same age. Formality somehow acts as a wall between two people who do not know each other well. However, when you both decide to speak informally to each other, it is a sign that you have become friends.
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