South Korea has long steered clear of the tipping culture. However, a recent uproar emerged when a photograph of a tip jar started trending on Twitter. Many South Korean social media users expressed reluctance to adopt a tipping culture primarily seen in countries like the U.S. and Canada. The debate intensified when Kakao T Mobility, the country’s most popular taxi-hailing app, introduced its gratitude tips feature shortly thereafter, allowing passengers to express their appreciation to drivers monetarily.

This debate dives deep into South Korea’s attitude toward service workers, its minimum wage policies and broader socioeconomic norms.