Josonjol (Korean bow), the traditional greeting of the Korean nation, is divided into sonjol (a bow in a standing position) and anjunjol (a bow in a kneeling position).
It was a common practice that anjunjol was usually made indoors and sonjol was made outdoors.
Anjunjol is made on the knees with the upper body bent down. It is subdivided into deep, common and half bows according to the degree of bending the body and bowing the heads.
As the deep bows of anjunjol were regarded as the most courteous, they were usually made on ceremonial occasions and to the elderly and people of high social status for the greatest courtesy. The common bows of anjunjol were similar to the deep bows and they were made to the elders such as parents, parents-in-law and teachers, between relatives by marriage and when the people of the same age first met with each other.
The half bows of anjunjol were usually made in acknowledgement. They simply bowed their heads slightly in kneeling positions.
Sonjol is made in a standing position. It is also subdivided into deep, common, and half bows according to the degree of bending. For the deep bow of sonjol, you bend your body down deeply in a standing position. It showed the greatest courtesy to the elderly, the elders in the higher degree of kin relationship, and adults.
The common bows of sonjol were exchanged between people of the same age or those including relatives by marriage who had to treat each other with due courtesy although they were not very old. For the common bows of sonjol, you bend your body slightly in a standing position.
The half bows of sonjol were made by bowing your head slightly in a standing position as an acknowledgement just like those of anjunjol.
Josonjol, our peoples’ traditional and excellent greeting manner, is being actively carried forward and developed as required by the times, and our socialist life is full of national flavor and emotions.
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