You've come to Korea for an autumn trip to see the fall leaves, and at the market you want to buy persimmons, but you hesitate over how to address the seller, right? At this time of year, the markets, taxis, and guesthouses are all busy. At times like this, a single word you use to address someone can change the whole conversation. In Korean, it's hard to use "너" or "당신" with an adult you don't know. So people add the honorific "님" to the other person's job or family terms when addressing them. It shows respect right from the start. If the person looks too young to call "eomeonim," "sajangnim" is the safe choice. ## "Eomeonim" at the Market If you only say "How much is it?" in front of persimmons, all you get is the price. "Eomeonim, is this sweet?" Try asking that. Often they'll say, "Of course it's sweet, try one," and hand you a slice. For an older man, you can say "abeonim." ## "Gisanim" in a taxi As soon as you get in, try saying, "Gisanim, please take me to Danpung Park." On weekends when the roads are jammed, the driver might tell you first, "There's a lot of traffic there today. I'll take another route." ## "Sajangnim" at your accommodation At a small guesthouse, ask, "사장님, 체크아웃하고 짐 맡겨도 돼요?" (Can I check out and leave my bags with you?) It's also easy to start this way when you ask about good restaurants nearby. You can use it with staff who aren't the owner too, so you don't need to worry about getting it wrong.