Gifts to bring to friends, family, or colleages who live in Korea

General Gifts

1. Snacks from your home country
   • Special cookies or biscuits
   • Chocolates
2. Unique items or specialties from your home country
   • Snacks with unique flavors
   • Snacks only available in your country
   • Artisinal ingredients (check with Korean customs regulation first)
   • Maple Syrup
   • Candies from your country
3. Small trinkets or accessories unique to your country
4. Traditional Alcohol (Wines, Spirits, etc.) 
5. Specialty Teas or Coffee 
6. The Gift's container/wrapping. Many Koreans care a lot about the "image", so the way the gift is presented matters quite a lot, sometimes more than the gift itself. This is especially important when meeting important people like bosses, or korean relatives. 
7. Vitamins or health supplements for older people
8. Candles with unique smells
9. Lotions and Handsanitizers with unique smells

Gifts for Expats living in Korea

1.  Their favorites snacks from home
   • Local Childhood snacks
   • Hot Cheetos (available in Korea but quite expensive)
   • Salt and Vinegar Chips
   • Takis
   • Instant Food (Instant Noodles with unique flavors)
   • Special Desserts or Chocolates
   • Ketchup Potato chips
   • etc.
2. Their favorite brand of toiletries which are not available in Korea (Toothpaste, Deodorant, Soap, Perfume - ask them beforehand since some brands are available in Korea while others are not).
3. Cooking ingredients (check with customs regulations first)
   • Seasonings
4. Clothing - It's difficult to find certain sizes in Korea (pants, undergarments, shoes, etc.)
5. Over the counter vitamins or medications (check with customs regulations)

Gifts for Coworkers or Bosses living in Korea

1.  Individually wrapped snacks
   • It would be more convenient to share individually wrapped snacks to people at their desks compared to larger portions that could be left at the pantry
2. Coffee (mix coffee or unique coffee blends)
   • Korean enjoy coffee, and are willing to try different flavors. Do take note that most prefer coffee which are not sweet.
3. Teas
4. Chocolates
5. Candies and mints
6. Alcohol 
   • Usually given to bosses who love to drink

Gifts you don't have to bring to Korea:

• Ranch 
• Lays (Original, Sour Cream and Cheddar, Vinegar)
• Common dried seasonings like thyme, basil, black pepper
•  Certain deodorant brands (Nivea, Dove)
• Do not bring meat or animal products
• Do not bring seeds
• Do not bring things that go against Korean customm regulations