Sitting cross-legged on floors disappearing

More Koreans prefer to eat while sitting in chairs, rather than on floor

By Kwak Yeon-soo

If you are eating at an old-fashioned restaurant in Korea, you may have to take your shoes off at the entrance and sit cross-legged on a cushion at a low table during your meal.

However, this age-old tradition is dying out as more people opt for chairs.

In the past, most Korean households had people sit on the floor to eat their meals. This custom was prevalent under the pretext that sitting on the floor leads to a calm and peaceful state of mind and encourages a sense of belonging.

But this “floor culture” has given way to tables and chairs as more Koreans prefer to eat while sitting in chairs rather than on the floor.

Riding on this change, a growing number of restaurants have been switching from floor seating to chairs.

Lee Jong-hwa, a staff member at Soon Heung Ok, a restaurant that switched to chairs in 2016, said more customers prefer sitting in chairs.

“As more people get accustomed to chairs these days, they feel more comfortable sitting in chairs while dining,” said Lee. “Although we had to give up four seats when switching to chairs, there is not much difference in the number of sales. The good thing about the change is we now have a higher turnover ratio.”

Another restaurant called Sacheon switched to chairs last year as more people shied away from sitting on the floor.

“Even the elderly who are familiar with sitting cross-legged ask for chairs because sitting on the floor causes lower back and knee pain,” said a staff member at Sacheon, declining to be named. “They can’t move their feet around freely while sitting on the floor.”

Kim Dong-hyun, a waiter at Janchijib, a traditional Korean restaurant, said, “Some who want to experience a bit more intimate and authentic Korean culture would like to sit on the floor, but that’s very rare.”

“Regardless of their age, more Koreans prefer sitting in chairs while eating,” said Hwang Eui-seok, a waiter at Michelin Guide-selected restaurant Hwangsanga. “Only families who come with babies prefer to sit on the floor so they can lay their babies down.”

Office worker Oh Young-eun, 27, said, “I can’t sit cross-legged wearing a skirt and I don’t want to take off my shoes.”

For foreigners, sitting on the floor for a long time can be challenging as well.

“I’d rather be in a chair if I have to stay for a long time at a restaurant,” said Merrick Laravea from the U.S., who has lived in Korea for eight years. “Sitting on the floor gets uncomfortable after an hour or so and I have long legs so that might also be part of the reason I prefer sitting on a chair.”

“For people who are not supple, sitting on the floor can be a bit uncomfortable as it is quite a trained technique to get properly set,” said Rick, a British DJ who has lived in Seoul for four years.

Apart from the inconvenience and health-related factors, a rising trend of “one economy” or the new economy of singles plays an important role in changing dining customs.

Sitting on the floor generally means dining with at least four people around a table. As youngsters voluntarily go for solitude and eat alone nowadays, they prefer smaller tables with chairs for fewer people.

“I feel hesitant sitting on the floor alone at a restaurant, especially during hectic lunch hours, because I don’t want others to think I’m taking their seats,” said Park Ga-eun, a 26-year-old graduate student. “I would rather go to a restaurant that has tables for two.”