Why Korean Politeness Doesn't Always Translate in English Workplaces
TLDR: Your respectful instincts are an asset—but English workplaces often read respect through clarity + concise action, not elaborate courtesy. Keep your courtesy; add an espresso shot of directness.
The Calibration Challenge (It's Not You—It's the Settings)
Korean workplace culture trains sophisticated respect: hierarchy awareness, thoughtful hedging, harmony. English-speaking workplaces also have respect systems—but the signals differ. Where Korean reads "careful courtesy," English may read "uncertain confidence." And remember: teams vary—finance ≠ design ≠ academia.
Email contrast
Your version: "Hi David, I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to reach out to see if it might be possible to discuss a potential timeline adjustment, if that would be convenient for you and not too much trouble..."
Colleague's version: "Hi David, could we move the deadline to next Friday for the client presentation?"
Both are respectful. One signals efficiency and confidence more clearly in many English workplaces.
Why Politeness Patterns Don't Always Transfer
Different Respect Languages
Studies on workplace communication suggest that many Korean professionals value hierarchical respect through formal language structures and elaborate courtesy, while English workplaces often signal respect through collaborative directness and concise communication — creating what some researchers call a “formality perception gap.”
Korean workplace respect: formal structures, careful hedging, elaborate courtesies
Common English workplace respect: direct engagement, concise requests, collaborative tone
The Formality Perception Gap
Your intent: professional courtesy
Possible read: distance or uncertainty
Their intent: approachable efficiency
Your read: overly casual or insufficiently respectful
Four Common Patterns (and What to Do Instead)
1) Email Elaboration vs. Professional Directness
Tendency: Long courtesy frames and layered requests
Try this: Lead with the ask in one sentence; add brief context next
Template: "Could we move the deadline to next Friday to align with the client presentation? Thanks — happy to adjust if needed."
2) Silence Instead of Small Talk
Tendency: In Korean workplaces, you don’t always need much small talk with seniors or colleagues; in English-speaking teams, those tiny conversations (“How was your weekend?”) quietly build trust.
Try this: Prepare one or two safe small-talk questions and phrases you can reuse. You don’t need to be funny or clever — just present.
Examples:
“How’s your week going so far?”
“Did you do anything nice at the weekend?”
“I’m still getting used to the weather here!”
3) Hierarchical Hesitation
Tendency: Wait for the perfect moment; use very formal language upward
Try this: Contribute early with one clear sentence, then support it
Template: "I recommend Option B—it reduces risk. I can share the data if helpful."
4) Hedging Requests and Suggestions
Tendency: "If it's not too presumptuous... perhaps we might consider..."
Try this: Keep the politeness, lose the fog
Template: "Could we consider X? It helps with Y. If you prefer, we can revisit."
(Rule of thumb: If a sentence needs a second lung, it's two sentences.)
Reading the Room: Fast Formality Signals
Not sure if your team is more formal or more relaxed? Instead of guessing, watch how people actually communicate.
When colleagues signal casual professionalism
Look for:
Short emails and chat messages that get to the point quickly
Contractions and relaxed tone (“We’re launching next week”, “No worries”)
Light small talk before or after work topics
Emojis or reactions 👍 🙂 in Slack/Teams/WhatsApp
Quick “Got it, thanks!” replies instead of long confirmations
Your move: Be concise, friendly, and specific:
"Got it — sending the draft by 3."
“Sounds good, I’ll update the slide and share it here.”
You’re not being rude, you’re matching their ‘efficient but human’ style.
When they prefer maintained formality
Look for:
Longer emails with full sentences and clear greetings/closings
Very little small talk in meetings or messages
Mostly work-only chat; emojis are rare or used only in informal channels
People using more complete phrases when they disagree (“I do not think that will work as planned” rather than “I don’t think that’ll work”)
Your move: Keep your language polite and structured.
“Dear/Hi [Name], I’ve attached the updated report for your review.”
“Thank you for the clarification. I’ll adjust the schedule accordingly.”
Real-World Watch-Outs
Email: Extended courtesy can make a simple ask feel complicated
Meetings: Waiting too long to contribute can be read as disengagement
Introductions: Over-formality can slow relationship-building moments
Why This Matters for Your Career
Misreads can lead to:
Your expertise being overlooked
Fewer chances to build strong working relationships
Unintended distance in collaboration
Calibrated communication leads to:
Your professionalism properly valued
Clear recognition of your competence
Authentic relationships across cultures
The Cultural Bridge (Keep the Respect, Add the Signal)
The goal isn't to be less respectful — it's to show respect in the signals your team recognises: be clear, be brief, and invite collaboration.
Quick calibration plan
Lead with the point (one sentence)
Add only necessary detail (one–two lines)
Invite action ("Does Friday work?" "Shall I send the deck?")
Mirror formality (titles vs. first names)
Check understanding ("Was that clear? / “Does that make sense?"—it's respectful, not rude)
Bottom line: Keep your Korean professionalism. Package it in concise, confident English so colleagues can see it — and respond to it.
If this resonated with you…You might also like:
When Korean Nunchi Meets English Workplace Communication
For when you can feel tension or disagreement in the room, but no one says it out loud – and you’re not sure if you should.
How Korean Team-First Thinking Translates in English Workplaces
For when you want to stay humble and collaborative, but also need to talk about your own role clearly in reviews and interviews.