Why Do Koreans Take Off Their Shoes Indoors?

A Korean Girl Explains Why Koreans Take Off Their Shoes Indoors

Koreans freak out when someone walks into a bedroom with muddy boots.

Here’s why Koreans take off their shoes indoors!

Quick Summary

  • If you’ve ever been to a Korean home, a traditional guesthouse, certain restaurants, or even schools, one of the first things you’re asked is to take off your shoes.
  • It’s mainly because Koreans want to keep the floor clean, as we spend a lot of time on it, sitting, eating, and even sleeping.
  • It’s also a basic show of respect.

Koreans Have a Culture of Sitting on the Floor

We spend a lot of time on the floor, sitting, eating, studying, even sleeping.

So naturally, keeping the floor clean is a big deal.

Taking off our shoes before entering a home is a deeply ingrained habit.

Even my best friend’s little boy knows the rule. He takes off his shoes the moment he gets to daycare!

This habit goes hand in hand with the structure of traditional Korean homes, mainly the ondol (the underfloor heating system). For centuries, Korean houses were heated from underneath, with smoke from a kitchen fire traveling beneath floors to warm the entire house.

A Korean Girl Explains traditional Korean homes

Because the floor was the heart of the home where people lived their daily lives, shoes were never allowed inside.

They track in dirt, germs, and even animal waste from outside, and that just doesn’t belong in a place where you eat and sleep.

Even today, modern high-rise apartments in Korea come with heated floors by default.

And while we may have sofas now, many Koreans still sit on the floor in front of them, leaning back on the couch instead of sitting on it.

It Has Something to Do With the Weather

Korea has rainy summers and snowy winters. Either way, it gets muddy. (Imagine walking on unpaved roads, especially in the past!)

Keeping shoes on indoors might be a nightmare.

That’s why we take off our shoes indoors and walk around barefoot (in which case, we head straight to the bathroom to wash our feet), or wear slippers depending on the flooring.

Korea Has the Entryway, Known As “Hyun-Gwan

A Korean Girl Explains Entryway, Known As Hyun-Gwan

When you enter a Korean house, you’ll find a small lowered area just past the front door.

This entryway is called Hyun-gwan and is similar to Genkan.

This is a dedicated spot to take off your shoes and transition from outside to inside.

You’ll often find house slippers provided there, or people will walk in socks or barefoot, especially in their own homes.

It also kind of works as a psychological and physical boundary.

It’s Not Just at Home

Koreans don’t stop at home with this custom.

You’ll also take off your shoes in

  • Traditional restaurants with floor seating
  • Temples and hanoks (traditional houses)
  • Schools and kindergartens (indoor slippers are provided for visitors, while students bring their own slippers)
  • Some medical clinics (indoor slippers are also provided)
  • Korean spas like jjimjilbang (Korean sauna) (there’s a separate locker for your shoes)
  • Every single Airbnb in Korea

It’s a Sign of Respect and Consideration

Beyond cleanliness, taking off your shoes is a gesture of respect for the home and the people who live there.

In The Glory, Park Yeon-jin entered Moon Dong-eun’s house with her shoes on and casually walked around. Koreans were horrified. That one act screamed how rude, disrespectful, and mean she really was.

Why Not Just Clean the Floor?

You might be thinking, “Why not just mop more often?”

But in Korea, the floor is more than just a surface.

People sit directly on it for meals, children play on it, and elders sometimes even sleep on thin mats.

Shoes bring in more than just dirt. They bring in the outside world, and that’s not something most Koreans want inside their private space.

And even without muddy footprints, we’re already vacuuming, mopping, and steam cleaning more than enough.

What Should You Do When Visiting?

If you’re ever invited to a Korean home,

  1. Look for cues like a shoe rack or a lowered entryway.
  2. Wear clean socks without a hole because you’ll be showing them off.
  3. Don’t assume you’ll be offered slippers. Some do and some don’t. Many Koreans walk in socks.
  4. Take your time, putting your shoes on or off. It’s normal to pause at the door.

Removing shoes indoors may seem like a simple habit.

But in Korea, we’ve had a long tradition of living on the floor, and with that comes a strong sense of respect for space and the people who live in it.

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