At a café, the person at the next table leaves their laptop and phone on the table and goes to the restroom. An international student sees this and asks, "Is that person okay?" They asked in surprise. Koreans do this without thinking, so at first even I didn't understand what the question was about. ## Your things are a "seat marker" Korean cafés are often crowded, with not enough seats. So putting your things down becomes a sign that says, "Someone's sitting here." Other people respect that sign too. Also, most cafés have CCTV. Everyone knows that if someone takes something, it will be noticed right away. On top of this comes the old belief that "you don't touch other people's things." ## The café has become both a study room and an office In Korea, a café isn't just a place to drink coffee. Homes are small and libraries close early, so many people study and work at cafés for hours at a time. These people are called "cagongjok." Since people spend so long in cafés, taking all their belongings with them every time they go to the restroom has become more of a hassle. ## Travelers, Don't Copy This Lately, there are even stories of people losing their belongings in cafés. So it's best not to just copy what Koreans do. Be sure to take your passport, wallet, and phone with you. If you have to leave your laptop behind, sit where you can see a CCTV camera, or ask a staff member, "Could you keep an eye on my seat for a moment?" Even a single small laptop carries the way Korean society has trusted one another.