VisitKorea says tipping is not required or expected in Korea, and that extra water or side dishes do not add a charge. A later food page says there is no need to tip. The taxi page says most taxis charge the meter and do not require a tip.
What do the food pages say?
The food page whose footer says it was last updated on March 24, 2023, puts this under “Visiting a Korean restaurant”: tipping is not required or expected in Korea. Requests for more water or side dishes do not incur additional costs. The same section says more restaurants let customers serve themselves water and side dishes, or use unmanned order machines. The footer says information may differ from what is presented there. The page does not print a percent.
A second About Korean Food page is dated July 25, 2025 at the top. Under “Visiting a Korean Restaurant” it says that at Korean restaurants, there is no need to tip, and requests for extra water or side dishes do not incur additional charges. Its footer still says the page was last updated on March 24, 2023, and that information may differ. That page does not print a percent either.
| Page | Date on the page | What it says about a tip |
|---|---|---|
| About Korean Food | Footer: last updated March 24, 2023 | Tipping is not required or expected. Extra water or side dishes do not add a cost |
| About Korean Food, later copy | Top date July 25, 2025. Footer still says March 24, 2023 | There is no need to tip. Extra water or side dishes do not add a charge |
| Taxi | Footer: last updated January 22, 2026 | Most taxis charge by the meter and do not require tips. Pay with cash, a credit card, or a transportation card |
What does the taxi page say?
VisitKorea’s taxi page says most taxis charge passengers according to the taximeter and do not require tips. Passengers can use cash, a credit card, or a transportation card. The footer says the page was last updated on January 22, 2026, and that information may differ from what is presented there. The page also describes a call-taxi fee apart from the fare, and a metered international-taxi surcharge. Those lines are fares, not tips.
What does Travel Tipper do for Seoul?
Seoul, Busan, and Incheon are marked not customary. The tip field starts at 0%. A bill of 40,000 won at that start is still 40,000 won, or 20,000 won for each of two people. The link is Seoul, 40,000 won, two people, 0%. Typing 10% makes a 4,000 won tip. That percent is not on either VisitKorea food page.
The tax field stays at 0% because these VisitKorea pages do not print a sales-tax rate to copy. A home-currency line uses the currency converter table and names the source and time. It is not the card’s posted charge.
Japan is the other not-customary country on Travel Tipper. The U.S. sit-down chart is the restaurant guide. The comparison is tipping when traveling.
South Korea tipping FAQ
Do restaurants in South Korea expect a tip?
VisitKorea says tipping is not required or expected in Korea, and that requests for more water or side dishes do not add a charge. A food page dated July 25, 2025 says there is no need to tip, and that extra water or side dishes do not add a charge.
Do taxis in South Korea expect a tip?
VisitKorea says most taxis charge by the meter and do not require tips. Passengers can pay with cash, a credit card, or a transportation card. The page footer says it was last updated on January 22, 2026.
Can I still leave a tip if I want to?
Travel Tipper sets Seoul, Busan, and Incheon to 0%. The VisitKorea pages do not print a required percent. You can type one.
Sources
- VisitKorea, About Korean Food — tipping is not required or expected; extra water or side dishes do not add a cost. Footer date March 24, 2023.
- VisitKorea, About Korean Food (July 25, 2025) — no need to tip; extra water or side dishes do not add a charge. Footer still says March 24, 2023.
- VisitKorea, Taxi — most taxis charge by the meter and do not require tips; cash, credit card, or transportation card. Footer date January 22, 2026.
Related: Travel Tipper for Busan, tipping in Japan, and the guides hub.