The Korean Restaurant & Hair Salon Experience

In Korea, you never tip in taxis, hair salons or restaurants. Taxes are also included in the price. I can't seem to shake the habit of calculating 15% like I did in Canada. There are exceptions; some American eateries like VIPS steakhouse add a 10% service charge to the bill.

I much prefer the Korean restaurant experience. Instead of a waiter hovering over your table with a cheese grater and pepper shaker, asking, "everything alright?" you're served your meal and left alone. You even pour your own water from a pitcher on the table.

There isn't a coffee and desert custom here. Koreans rarely eat desert after dinner and, although there's a coffee shop on every corner in Seoul, you'll be hard pressed to get a good cup of coffee at a Korean restaurant.

Minimum wage in Korea is surprisingly low: 3,480 W/ 3.50 USD, an hour. But many restaurants are family owned and operated, so minimum wage doesn't apply. Tipping could even be interpreted as an insult. Times I've attempted to tip at a restaurant, I've been met with a furrowed brow. "Anayo, anayo." (No, no.)

There was one taxi driver who practically kissed my feet when I gave him 1000 won, but just save your money!

You never tip at hair salons, either. Compared to Montreal, Korea offers up a deal. The average cost is about 30,000 W, for a wash, cut, blow dry and if you're lucky- a cup of coffee. That's right. Get your coffee at the hair salon, not the restaurant.

Some Koreans have very thick, course hair, but it's generally straight. I've noticed a lot of Koreans with razored hair ends. That might work on glossy locks, but if you have wavy or curly hair (which is more porous), don't let your hair dresser come near you with a razor.

In fact, you might want to travel to Itaewon in Seoul, also known as Western town. There, you can find International restaurants and products. Hairdressers are likely more adapt at cutting international hair types.

It can be a dangerous area at night, though, and if you're going to run into a "happy ending" barber shop, it's probably there. After a hair trim, men may be shocked when asked if they want to be taken into the back. Prostitution has long been visible in Itaewon, and the centre of prostitution in Itaewon is called "Hooker Hill."