Is it weird to greet or nod at someone who is a friend of the person you’re with?

This has happened to me several times when I was in Korea. I’d be walking with a Korean friend, and they’d bump into someone they know—let’s say their friend greets or nods to them.

In my culture, even if I don’t know that person, I’d still say “Hi” or give a polite nod out of respect. It’s like acknowledging their presence because they’re connected to the person I’m with.

But every time I did this, my Korean friends seemed confused. They would ask me, “Do you know that person?” When I said no, their response was usually something like, “Then why did you greet them?”

So, is this just a cultural difference? Or does it seem strange in general to acknowledge someone you don’t personally know?

submitted by /u/birnefer
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