An international student asked me at our first company dinner. "The seats by the door are empty, so why isn't anyone sitting there?" Everyone was just glancing toward the inner part of the room. In Korean, the seat where the most senior person sits is called '상석'. In restaurants or meeting rooms, it's usually the seat in the back, farthest from the door. In a taxi, the seat of honor is the right rear seat, diagonally behind the driver. ## Why is the inner seat the good seat? Traditional Korean houses used ondol, which heats the floor, so the 'arenmok', the spot closest to the fire, was the warmest. That spot was offered to the elders first. Many people say that this thoughtfulness has been passed down to this day. There's a reason in restaurants, too. The area near the door is noisy and uncomfortable, because people keep coming and going and cold drafts blow in. So the most comfortable spot, the inner seat, is offered to the elder. Even without saying anything, it's a way of saying, "Please sit comfortably." ## The youngest sits by the door The youngest person or the newest member sits close to the door. It's easy to call the staff, and it's convenient to get up to order or fetch water. That's why the youngest often sets out the spoons and chopsticks and pours the water. It's not that anyone makes them; it's a long-standing habit of the people close to you looking out for others. ## Try this If you're not sure which seat is yours, don't sit down first. Ask, "Where should I sit?" Just ask like that. Koreans are pleased by that one little phrase, thinking, "Oh, they know the custom." It's even better if you set out the spoons, chopsticks and water for the eldest person first.