At eleven at night, an empty taxi drives slowly past. It looked like it had no passengers, so I raised my hand, but the taxi just drove on. International students go through this too, and ask, "Why?" He asked. The answer lies in the small light under the windshield. ## Red light: You can get in now Korean taxis usually have an indicator light at the bottom of the windshield. If '빈차' (empty) is lit up in red letters, it means the taxi can take passengers. When the driver turns on the meter, this light goes off. If the light is off, the taxi is already on a trip even if it looks empty inside, so you don't need to raise your hand. I don't know exactly why it's red. But it's definitely a signal that stands out well even from far away. ## The '예약' (Reserved) Light: A Car That Already Has a Promise These days, a lot of people call taxis with an app. So a taxi that is on its way to pick up a customer lights up a '예약' (Reserved) sign. Even if this car looks empty, it already has a commitment to someone else, so it can't pick you up even if you raise your hand on the street. The color and shape of the sign may differ depending on the region or the type of taxi. ## Try It Right Away - Only hail taxis that have the red '빈차' (vacant) light on. - At night or on rainy days, it's easier to call one with an app. There are apps like Kakao T. - Check how to use the app and how to pay inside the app first.