Create meetup in Seoulchevron_right
Select a place on the map to change the location.
I want to meet
Verified required?
want to meet at fmd_good The Spot
want to meet at fmd_good Prime Cut
want to meet at fmd_good Daybreak Cafe
explore Seoul Guides
Find Hotel in Seoul (2026): By District + Price
caecilieklar
Seoul's History in 2026: From Founding to Today
magdalenateubner
Seoul Festivals & Events by Month (2026)
antoniahenning
Cultural Etiquette in Seoul: What Not to Do (2026)
iris
Seoul's Name Origins & Local Words (2026 Guide)
mariannebender
Typical Souvenirs from Seoul (2026)
kirstinwuest
First Time in Seoul: Complete Guide 2026
suse
Seoul Nightlife Guide (2026)
anjewaechter
Best Day Trips from Seoul (2026)
anka
Seoul Airport to City Center (2026)
lidianiehoff
bar_chart Trends in Seoul
Is it offensive to say Xie Xie (Mandarin form of thank you) when in Seoul?
A brief backstory to my question. I was in Myeongdong shopping with my daughter at a litt… Let me start of by saying that I totally get this is NOT a Mandarin speaking country. Korean is the language.
A brief backstory to my question. I was in Myeongdong shopping with my daughter at a little eating/hair accessory store. We just got done with three weeks in Taiwan and after we made our purchase and were leaving my daughter said "Xie Xie" to the sales lady and after a beat realized she made a mistake because she wasn't in Taiwan anymore. At first I thought the worker was just gonna brush it off but then she said, "Excuse me???" And I couldn't really tell if she was playing or not. She got my daughter to turn back around and face her and said something to the effect of, "This is Korea and we say gamsahabnida." I still couldn't tell if she was feigning offense or truly offended at my daughter saying that. My current thinking is that she was really offended.
It definitely wasn't my daughter's intention to offend. Just curious if there's some kind of back story on Korea's part at being offended by that. Thanks for any insights.
Also to add, the worker said "thank you" and my wife and I said "thank you" and nobody was offended...I assume because it was my native language and the worker was happy to do that. Mandarin and English are both native languages for my daughter so just want to give another "excuse" for her saying Xie Xie.
honestly i think that worker was just having a bad day or being super territorial about it. most koreans i've met in myeongdong are used to tourists mixing up languages, they usually just smile and move on. i've said "arigato" on accident at a cafe in hongdae and the barista just laughed it off.
if anything, the fact that she made your daughter turn back around feels a bit extra. like yeah technically we say gamsahamnida here but everyone knows xie xie is mandarin not some insult. myeongdong especially gets tons of chinese tourists so she's definitely heard it before.
you're fine, your daughter didn't do anything wrong. just a weird interaction with someone who prob wanted to feel important for a second.
That worker's reaction was unusual. Myeongdong is full of Chinese tourists and most shop staff hear "xie xie" multiple times a day without batting an eye. I've also heard Korean shopkeepers say "xie xie" back to Chinese customers themselves.
There's no historical or cultural reason Koreans would be offended by Mandarin specifically. It's just a different language, not a loaded term. The worker either had a personal issue or was joking in a way that didn't land. Either way, your daughter has nothing to apologize for.
If anything, the worker's "excuse me" and making her turn back around was ruder than accidentally saying the wrong thank you. Most Koreans I know would just smile and maybe teach you the Korean word if they felt like being helpful.
Nah, you're overthinking it. That worker was just being a bit of a stickler, probably had a long day dealing with tourists. Most people in Seoul wouldn't even blink at hearing xie xie, they know it's just a common Chinese phrase from travelers. Your daughter's fine.
Dogdogdog's Secret?
the whispering thing is real but its not about the sauce lol. that guy runs a 2am handoff with the chicken supplier, they drop off fresh birds from a farm near Chuncheon three times a week instead of using the frozen stuff most hongdae spots rely on. thats why the texture hits different, not the sauce itself. if u go back ask for the neck & wing combo off menu, its cheaper & honestly the best cut they do
the thing nobody mentions is that Dogdogdog's sauce gets its body from cheong, the Korean rice syrup, not sugar. thats why it coats the wing so thick and stays glossy instead of going sticky. i asked a guy who worked there and he said they also add a splash of maesil (plum) extract at the end off the heat. that fruity tang under the garlic is what you're tasting. go on a weekday before 6, weekends the wait hits 40 min easy.
honestly the "secret sauce" thing is prob just marketing. every fried chicken place in Seoul has a version of that story. the real difference at Dogdogdog is they double fry in rice bran oil and toss the wings in the sauce twice, once right out of the fryer and again after a 30 sec rest. thats where the crunch comes from, not some mystery ingredient. if u wanna taste the actual base, order the banban half plain half spicy and dip the plain one in the spicy sauce yourself.
load 7 more replies