Some taboos in Korean culture are:
- Do not wear your shoes in places of worship or peoples’ homes
- Do not put your feet on furniture
- Do not eat or drink in public places while walking
- Do not place your thumb between your middle and index finger while making a fist as this an obscene gesture
- Do not use red ink. This is a symbol of death and is reserved only for writing the names of the deceased. It is considered unlucky and suggests you wish death to the recipient
- Do not use the number four if at all possible – if giving gifts, do not give four of something. It is considered unlucky due to the similarity between the Korean word for death and the pronunciation of the word ‘four’
- Do not stand too close to people you are meeting for the first time – keep an arms length between you
Some of these taboos are the same as Chinese culture, such as using red ink and using the number four. The number four taboo, I would consider to be the most important. I know that in some Chinese buildings, they avoid putting a fourth floor just to avoid the number. I don't know if the number four is to be avoided as much in Korea.
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