On one hot summer day, I was taking a stroll in Yeonnam-dong (연남동), looking for a café to cool myself with some cold beverages. To my surprise, I saw one of the restaurants in the area that was not yet open for the day, swarmed by a line of people braving the sun. That was the very first time I realized that waiting in line is something that Korean people do exceptionally well.
At first, I thought that the lines only occurred when establishments hold special events. I then learned that it was not the case, and that people here tend to willingly wait in line in order to be able to be a part of the experience, be it dining or shopping. In the trendier parts of the city, young people would wait even more than an hour just to enter experience zones at brand pop-ups. Even without any staff organizing it, everyone just automatically waits politely in the stretched line along the street.
As an Indonesian, I found it to be something admirable as it is rarely the case in my home country. Back home, queues can easily become disorganized, and it’s not uncommon for people to skip ahead if there’s no staff or clear signage. It’s not necessarily out of rudeness, but more a reflection of how systems aren’t always trusted to work on their own. So witnessing how Koreans self-regulate and wait with such patience was a little bit of cultural learning in itself.
This seemingly simple habit of queuing has left a lasting impression on me. It showed me how even everyday behaviors can reflect deeper values like mutual respect, trust, and social harmony. While it may have felt surprising at first, I’ve come to appreciate the order and consideration that such practices bring to public life in Korea. Now, standing in line doesn’t feel like a waste of time. Perhaps you’ll find me standing in line for the latest trendy café opening!
Photo by Republic of Korea (Korea.net) via Flickr
On one hot summer day, I was taking a stroll in Yeonnam-dong (연남동), looking for a café to cool myself with some cold beverages. To my surprise, I saw one of the restaurants in the area that was not yet open for the day, swarmed by a line of people braving the sun. That was the very first time I realized that waiting in line is something that Korean people do exceptionally well.
At first, I thought that the lines only occurred when establishments hold special events. I then learned that it was not the case, and that people here tend to willingly wait in line in order to be able to be a part of the experience, be it dining or shopping. In the trendier parts of the city, young people would wait even more than an hour just to enter experience zones at brand pop-ups. Even without any staff organizing it, everyone just automatically waits politely in the stretched line along the street.
As an Indonesian, I found it to be something admirable as it is rarely the case in my home country. Back home, queues can easily become disorganized, and it’s not uncommon for people to skip ahead if there’s no staff or clear signage. It’s not necessarily out of rudeness, but more a reflection of how systems aren’t always trusted to work on their own. So witnessing how Koreans self-regulate and wait with such patience was a little bit of cultural learning in itself.
This seemingly simple habit of queuing has left a lasting impression on me. It showed me how even everyday behaviors can reflect deeper values like mutual respect, trust, and social harmony. While it may have felt surprising at first, I’ve come to appreciate the order and consideration that such practices bring to public life in Korea. Now, standing in line doesn’t feel like a waste of time. Perhaps you’ll find me standing in line for the latest trendy café opening!
Photo by Republic of Korea (Korea.net) via Flickr