90 Days to Thriving as an Expat Professional in Korea

Six Situations Expats Face in Korean Business — and How to Handle Them.

Korean business often looks polite and professional on the surface — while leaving expats unsure what was actually decided, expected, or implied.

These six real-world situations show what’s happening beneath the surface, and how to respond with clarity and confidence — without overthinking or losing your sense of self.

For each situation, you’ll choose how you’d respond — then see what works best in Korean business, and why.

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Does this sound familiar?

You came to Korea as a confident, capable professional. You’ve succeeded everywhere else — but Korean business culture plays by different rules.

You're not alone in feeling confused.

The rules changed — and no one told you what they are.

You leave meetings unsure what was actually decided — or if anything was decided at all

You feel like an outsider — people are polite, but not you don't feel truly heard or influential

You’re exhausted from trying to read between the lines and decode unspoken expectations

You’re adapting constantly and wondering where the line is between flexibility and losing yourself

Are you ready to...

Crack the Culture Code

Gain clarity around Korea’s unwritten business rules — so confusion stops draining your energy.

Show Up Confidently

Move from outsider uncertainty to insider awareness — and learn how to read the room with confidence.

Lead with Authority

Stay grounded, clear, and credible — even inside hierarchy and ambiguity.

Execute with Confidence

Turn cultural insight into real-world impact — and move forward with confidence and connection.

INSIDE "SIX SITUATIONS"

Six Situations Expats Face in Korean Business — and How to Handle Them

This guide breaks down common situations that cause confusion for expats in Korean business — and shows you how to respond with clarity and confidence.

Inside, you’ll step into real business moments, choose how you’d respond, and see what works in Korean business culture.

Situations on tricky topics like:

Personal Questions — When questions about your life, family, or choices feel intrusive — but refusing to answer feels worse.
Extra Scrutiny — When it feels like your work, behavior, or decisions are being quietly evaluated.
Boundaries — When work and personal time blur — and saying “no” feels risky or awkward.
Personal Questions — When questions about your life, family, or choices feel intrusive — but refusing to answer feels worse.
Extra Scrutiny — When it feels like your work, behavior, or decisions are being quietly evaluated.
Sudden Change of Plans — When priorities shift without warning — and no one explains why.
BONUS — The Friend Zone — When relationships feel warm and personal, but professional progress quietly stalls.

Hi, I'm Colleen

When I came to Korea in 1997, I didn’t speak Korean, didn’t understand the business culture, and had no idea how much I would have to relearn just to function professionally.

Over the past 25+ years, I’ve built a life and career here — as a university professor, corporate trainer, business owner, author, executive coach, and a single mom raising two kids in a system that wasn’t built for foreigners, especially women.

I’ve been where you are.

I’ve been the only non-Korean woman in leadership rooms. I’ve navigated workplaces where expectations were never stated and authority operated quietly. And I’ve learned, the hard way, how trust is earned — and lost — in high-power-distance environments.

Six Situations grew out of those experiences.

It focuses on common moments where expats feel unsure how to respond, explains what’s actually going on beneath the surface, and shows practical ways to move forward without losing credibility, confidence, or yourself.

This guide is my way of sharing what I wish I’d known earlier.

In your corner,