When traveling around the world, it’s always fun to observe even the smallest of cultural differences. Even the most mundane daily activities like using the restroom can reveal some unique traits of a country. South Korea is a vibrant place of both beautiful traditional culture and impressive modern amenities. I was fascinated by some interesting little quirks about their bathrooms and toilets. Some of the observations on my list may certainly be commonplace in other countries. So just bear in mind this is from a North American perspective. With that said, here are eight interesting things about Korean restrooms.

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Wet Rooms

In Korean homes, most bathrooms are in the style of a “wet room”. That is to say, there is no separation between the shower and the rest of the room. So when you turn on the shower head, water will spray any surrounding surfaces. As that also means the entire floor area gets wet, most Korean homes will have a pair of slippers specifically for the bathroom. Some people may find this takes a while to get used to as even the toilet seat will get covered in water.

Smart Toilets

While not often in older public restrooms and homes, you will sometimes encounter toilets with an impressive array of buttons for various bidet features. (For those unaware… a bidet is a spout of water that rinses your… nether regions.) Some even have self-warming seats!

Toilet Paper Outside of Public Restroom Stalls

If you walk into a public restroom in South Korea and see a big roll of toilet paper near the entrance, you’d be wise to grab a handful: sometimes Korean public restrooms don’t have toilet paper in the stalls. Many an unfortunate tourist has had to discover this the hard way…

Sometimes You Can’t Flush the Toilet Paper

Speaking of toilet paper, sometimes you can’t flush it down the toilet either. Some of the particularly older buildings in Korea naturally have older piping which can’t always handle big wads of tissue. If in the bathroom stall, there’s a big waste bin full of tissue, it’s safe to say that’s where you are supposed to deposit any and all trash.

Squatting Toilets

Some may be greeted by another surprise in public restroom stalls in Korea: squatting toilets. Coming from America, I had never seen this type of toilet. I found that at least one or two stalls in Korean public restrooms were squatting style. They are sometimes marked by a sign on the front door.

Etiquette Bells

What is an “Etiquette Bell”? I always find the term very amusing. It’s basically a sound machine to mask any embarrassing noises you may make while using the toilet. Admittedly I have also seen these devices in America but not nearly as often as I did in Seoul.

Communal Soap Bars

Many will be accustomed to liquid soap dispensers in public restrooms. While these are present in Korea as well, you may also come across a rather interesting means of hand washing. Sometimes there is a bar of soap attached to a metal rod. You are meant to simply rub the soap bar to wash up. I must admit that I’m not a huge fan of this method of washing. I can’t help but imagine the countless other hands that have touched the bar of soap before me!

Hidden Cameras

After going through some kind of funny and interesting things about Korean restrooms, it is time to talk about something very not funny: hidden cameras. Some years back, South Korea unfortunately discovered a nasty prevalence of hidden miniature cameras in women’s public restrooms. Thanks to massive protests, the government has at least seemingly taken this matter seriously with increased security sweeps of stalls and posted warnings. However, this criminal invasion of privacy still occurs.

To practice caution, you may want to avoid subway restrooms in Korea (an area they can be prevalent). I try to stick to well maintained, well-lit, “well-surveilled” restrooms like those in shopping malls and museums. You may also want to have a look around for anything that just looks suspicious, like tiny holes drilled into the wall. If you want to feel super secure, you may invest in a hidden camera detector. Hidden camera detectors are useful not just for public restrooms but for scanning hotel rooms and Airbnbs as well. (If you’d like to learn more about booking a great Airbnb and staying safe, I hope you’ll check out my tips for using Airbnb.)

I don’t mean to scare anyone traveling to Korea. It is a very safe country where I always feel comfortable as a solo female traveler. Nevertheless, no place is perfect and you should always practice caution. Before making the voyage to this unique and exciting place, please read my list of Things to Know Before Traveling to Korea for even more cultural tidbits to enhance your adventure and stay safe.