The Door-Holding Etiquette
For many Koreans visiting the United States for the first time, one of the biggest surprises is the everyday door-holding etiquette. In the U.S., it is common for someone walking ahead to hold the door open for the person behind them. The person following almost always responds with a polite “Thank you.”
In Korea, people sometimes hold doors as well, but usually for acquaintances or in special situations. That’s why this practice often becomes one of the first examples of an “American culture shock” that Koreans experience abroad.
This etiquette developed as a combination of individualism and public manners. While American society emphasizes individuality, it also values small gestures that reduce discomfort in public spaces. Holding the door may seem trivial, but it functions as a social norm that keeps interactions smooth and respectful.
Korean Netizens’ Reactions
- “Don’t people in Korea do this?”
- “In America it’s 100% natural, but in Korea it’s a bit ambiguous.”
- “In Korea it’s selective… in the U.S. almost everyone does it.”
- “It also depends on the region in America. Some don’t hold it if the person behind is a minority.”
- “If the person behind is pushing a stroller, most people will hold the door.”
- “In Korea, about half hold the door, but half of those receiving it don’t even say thank you.”
- “If someone is following awkwardly far behind, you sometimes wait anyway.”
- “Even more surprising than this is when strangers say ‘Bless you’ after someone sneezes.”
- “Last month in Jeju, a little Black kid said ‘Bless you’ when I sneezed. Really surprising.”
- “In Korea, middle-aged women often hold the door just for themselves, then let it close on others.”
- “In Korea, some people slip through without holding it, which discourages others from doing it.”