People can't help but bump into others in overcrowded Korean cities. Koreans think that this is unavoidable, and no one seems to mind, unless the contact hurts. 

On the other hand, some foreigners may find this form of physical contact with strangers to be irritating since they are accustomed to maintaining their own personal space in public places.

Min Byoung-chul is an endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang University who is widely known as a multicultural educator and for his practical English teaching. This content is based on his book, “Land of Squid Game,” which can be purchased at major book stores. -- Ed.

By The Korea Herald (khnews@heraldcorp.com)