On my most recent visit to Seoul, I found myself in one of those cultural situations that I understood in theory, but not quite quickly enough in practice.

Anyone who has used the subway in Seoul will know how clearly the priority seats are marked. They are reserved for elderly passengers, pregnant women, people with disabilities, and others who may need them. But what has always struck me is not just that the seats exist — it is how seriously people tend to observe the rule.

In London, reserved seats are often treated more loosely. People sit in them and move if someone needs the seat. In Seoul, I have often noticed something different: people will leave those seats empty, even when the carriage is busy.

For the first half of my trip, while I was travelling with my mother, we relied quite a lot on taxis. After she left from Incheon Airport, I took the subway properly for the first time on that visit.

I did remember there was a section of seats that people were not really supposed to sit in unless they needed them. The funny thing was, I ended up sitting in those very seats for most of the journey.

It was only towards the end that someone pointed out that I probably should not be sitting there.

Oh my.

It was funny, but also embarrassing. Not because anything dramatic happened, but because I suddenly became very aware of where I was sitting, and what those seats mean in that context.

That is the thing about Seoul’s subway etiquette. It is not always loudly enforced, but you can feel how strongly it is understood. The rules are visible, but the feeling behind them is quieter: consideration, awareness, and knowing when a space is not really for you.

As always my cartoons have a ring of truth to them!