it freaks me out when I see martina without her signature eyeliner... she looks totally different

It really helped us out, especially the culinary reader section. Probably the best organized mini-Korean book we found.

THIS HOUSE!!! It's been so loooooooooooooooooooooooong!!!! hahahah I just love some of your older videos T^T

Loving your videos, they really help me with my project on understanding Korean etiquette, and culture. Thanks!

I doubt Simon and Martina will see this but if you guys do... I think you should do this type of video for Japan as well. Any hand gestures or certain polite ways of doing things in Japan that foreigners wouldn't know about.

Extremely helpful demonstration!

thank you so much for making this video!!! i'm an american who works in an outlet mall with TONS of korean shoppers - this is really helpful!

i keep watching Simon and Martina's video.. Usually I find something bad about other youtube users or unlike some videos but all of their videos are so fun and interesting to watch.

I have so much to learn. Thank you so much!

I'm Korean-American trying to re-learn my roots so to speak. I really enjoyed this video...please make more. Excellent and Thank you!

Love your videos.

RaeOfficial: I think you have a good point regarding misinterpretations. I had to explain to all 500 of my students that we call people over with our palms up or with one finger and it is not rude. They were shocked! So I told them to not be offended by a foreigner doing this, because they just don't realize it is offensive. Some students approached me after class and told me they thought their English tutors were rude, but now they realize it was a misinterpretation.

OMG SO MANY YEARS SINCE I FIRST WATCHED THIS THE NOSTALGIA~~~

i can die peacefully now that i saw 2008 martina.

i have that same korean phrase book and it's awesome!

Hey tollkevin, we were thinking the same thing! We start out with a simple video on hand gestures, and people end up screaming at each other online!

I can imagine what a gifted teacher Martina was to her school students back in Korea. She has a very clear pronunciation and easy-to-follow examples and comparisons (re: hamster digging example).

Im going to Seoul in October for business, this will be helpful!

These are great...

cool! I was wondering about the supporting elbow thingy, I see it in Korean dramas allot. thx for the explanation!!!

dude! this is one of the first EYK videos i saw, back when i was looking at teaching English in Korea , this brings back the memories.... and sadly I'm not as fluent in Korean as i would've liked to be by now...

am so impressive you explain Korean hand Gestures. it is really important to support hand when someone gives you liquour like Soju or whisky, especially in drinking with people.

great video thanks

wow that was pretty cool. i see it in korean dramas all the time but never really thought about it

very informative thanks

thanks, that was informative

this is soooo important!!!

I heard in Korea when someone invites you to a party, and they offer you alcohol . You're not suppose to drink it right in front of them, you have to turn to the side.

you guys rock!!!!!!

It feels so weird watching this in 2012 before they became even more amazing.

Thank youuuu xD This is going to be sooo useful x.x

Oh yeah! The "peace sign/kimchi sign" is so popular! I can't believe we didn't think about adding it to the video. *^_^*

you guys are learning well :D

Also when handing something to somehow having your left hand touching your right arm or right wrist is a sign of respect.

awesomeness!

Thank you for teaching us! :D

martina seems so serious and down to business in this video

watching your old videos to see how your production and style has progressed...i am an up and coming foodie/lifestyle youtuber and im looking for tips :) i love your channel

Thanks

You know, with all the Korean pop culture I infuse into my brain, a lot of the stuff from these videos like the hand gestures I've begun to realize i already knew on some level. Some of them i have even begun doing without noticing it! Still, I learn a lot from these videos, so that you for making them!

wow~perfect

so cute!

Excellent observation of Korean custom!! Good job! Merry Christmas! Dec 25 , 2011

using both of ur hands gives the impression that you are fully attending to ur current action; one hand, half attentive.

this is extremely helpful for students that are going for exchange programme! simon and martina, can u do more videos on korea's do and don't . thank you!

I have that same Korean phrasebook~

very interesting and cool presentation :)

I just started Tae Kwon Do about 3 1/2 weeks ago and we have also been taught the same gestures! All of the Instructors and Masters at my school are Korean and the gestures have definitely worn off on me in public as well which definitely has gotten me weird looks :) I have to say though that I enjoy the respect aspect of Tae Kwon Do and also agree that other cultures could learn a thing or two from cultures like the Korean culture.

yay korean phrasebook! I have this too! The best phrase in there is the "easy tiger" :D

I love how militant the girl is. "like say you want to buy a book from someone" puts the book down *SLAM*

Love Korean culture! Everyone is so polite :)

ty this helped me out with gf parents, ty ty

Once at an outing with my Korean coworkers one of the secretaries who was only 20 did the 'turn away and cover mouth' while drinking soju. I thought it was because she was unable to handle her alcohol but was later informed that it was out of respect. Especially because everyone there was older and included our boss and faculty manager.

@silvepaper222 correct.in busy market place it doesn't matter.

LOOOL .. u guys look soooo shy and formal

rubbing your thumb and your index finger several times means 'getting money' or simply money (as it resembles the flicking of the cash when counting) also, the OK sign can be also interpreted as 'money' (as it resembles a coin)

Omg I have that same exact Korean book :)

yea. i was just thinking that!

Love the videos! I would love for you to re-do some of these old videos but with the Japanese frame of mind now. Maybe you have, and I'm just not there yet since I'm watching from the beginning now. lol

jeje so diferent Martina, this information its very good

still adorbs, you two!! 2018 💜💕💙

learned something new today :D

oh thats really different but very very cool!! :)

I have that same korean book does it help you much

haha awesome! i'm korean and i had no idea about the first one. :)

Something I learned in Korean class (when I was young, might have changed) is that in Seoul if the number of fingers you raise to hail a taxi is the number multiplied by the going rate that you're willing to pay. So for example, if you hail a taxi with an open hand, it tells the taxi that you're willing to pay 5x the going rate to get where you're going. Most likely the taxi drivers thought you were crazy and drove right by you. :_D

Good video! O: It was fun to watch and mostly true. I'm Korea and I'm warning those people who are reading comments about people who say they're Korean with little notes and facts about being Korean, that what they say can be true and sometimes what they say can be exaggerated and can vary from different Koreans. Don't hate.

my friend told me that when your gonna hand over money you've got to hold the bill with two of your hands and hand it over sometimes you can bow to.

How about sideswipe for calling over? I call people over with a sideswipe gesture that's mostly up-orientated, but sometimes slips into the hamster hands thing.

Wonderful! Many of these I have seen in kdramas. I would only recommend that you might add the polite way of drinking- turning their head to the side as if not wanting to be seen actually taking a drink. Thanks

Hey lovehateana: If you're drinking with elders or your superiors, it is polite to turn away to drink your alcohol, but I can honestly say I've never seen anyone do that in a public restaurant. Perhaps it's for a more formal event? I have seen it in Korea dramas though... I think the hand covering the mouth when laughing is out of modesty and shyness, but I'm not totally sure. Just what some of my friends told me. Can anyone add to this answer? ^^

Can I substitute 'jazz hands' for any of the above?

is that the proust collection in the back? niceeee

My Tae Kwon Do instructor is Korean. He has taught us some of the same stuff. I have even found myself doing some of the same things out side of class, which gets me weird looks. (Yes, I'm American) We could learn a thing or two about politeness from other places in the world!

LOL This video and the T-money? card video were played in our Korean Culture Class in TORONTO!!!!!

in tae kwon-do when we shake hands after sparring we have to support our arm too

the downward hand gesture is also in the Philippines! At first I had no idea whether or not they were telling me to leave or go to them haha

I wonder how you found that out, people must have thought you guys were pretty rude without you guys knowing D: Thanks for the tip ^^

I don't know why though out the whole video I kept thinking "Siwon (of Super Junior) the Gestures Man" hahhaha. Thanks for the video, it really helped :)

The whole video I just couldn't stop thinking about Siwon and his hand gestures xD

damn i wish i wouldve seen this video a year ago wen i was in korea.. although i did figure it out.. had good korean friends to help me out..good insight and very helpful

When giving or receiving anything you can use two hands, you don't always need to touch your left hand to your elbow/right arm. I find it more comfortable just to use two hands. As does my Korean husband.

Ehmeyged....OLD SIMON OLD MARTINA OLD MAKEUP OLD CHANNEL OLD HOUSE OLD CAMERA AND OLD TV!!! Lol 2:07

i

when i was in korea, the "come here" hand gesture didn't seem so complicated. we were always taught (by my mother- who is korean) that it's like you're "shoo-ing" someone away from you. you keep your hands lowered, even when hailing a cab, and you push your hand away from you- almost as though you're telling a dog to go away. just wanted to share my experience, as I have never seen someone hail or call someone over in the manner shown.

Using both hands is very important to show your respect to others, especially to elderly people. If you're older than the other, you don't have to use both hands. Age is very important in Korean culture.

Helpful video! Kahmsahamnida :)

THanks, could you talk about the fists that the close up camera goes to when someone is upset...I have seen a couple variations on that...

I went to Korea and when I was with friends or people I knew I would keep in mind the Korean respectful hand gestures and what not. However when I went to stores and everybody was a stranger I just handed my money with just one hand. Also when I had my drinks refilled I just let them pour the drink and didn't feel the need to bring my cup up with both hands. So my question is if you are the customer is it really necessary to follow these hand gestures if you are already polite?

If you're left-handed does it matter if you place your right hand on your left arm? or do you have to give and receive things with your left hand on your right arm?

LOL! I already have a habit of calling people over the Korean way, I didn't know at first and watching this I was surprised!

if you are left-handed, is it ok to hold, give and receive with your left hand and support with your right one? or do you always have to try and strictly hold with your right hand and support with left? I use both my hands equally so i uncosciously just use whichever hand to hold, give, receive something. would I have to be cautious in Korea?

I'm meeting my girlfriends parents in Korea soon...thank you, this helps

1:54 I´ve got exactly the same book! ♥

what about two hands funny waving they do to greet someone?

Well, she WAS a Korean English Teacher.

Haha Martina sounds like such a teacher (:

That's probably her teacher side coming out since she was kind of giving us a lesson :)

i have a question does it have to be your left hand on your elbow or in the bottom of the cup or does it not matter?

cultural shock! Good edu. vid!