Company Condolence Wreaths in Korea: A Guide for Teams Abroad
Updated
When a Korean employee, client or business partner has a death in the family, their colleagues and partners send condolence wreaths (근조화환) to the funeral hall. The wreaths stand at the entrance to the memorial room with the sender's name on the ribbon, so an absent company is noticed. This guide is for managers, HR and office teams outside Korea who need to respond quickly and correctly.
1. Read the obituary notice (부고)
Korean companies circulate a short 부고 by email, messenger or KakaoTalk. It names the employee, their relationship to the person who died, the funeral hall, the room and the procession date. These are the relationship terms you will see:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 본인상 (bon-in-sang) | The person named has died. |
| 부친상 (buchin-sang) | The person named has lost their father. |
| 모친상 (mochin-sang) | …their mother. |
| 배우자상 (baeuja-sang) | …their spouse. |
| 빙부상 / 빙모상 | …their wife's father / wife's mother. |
| 시부상 / 시모상 | …their husband's father / husband's mother. |
| 조부상 / 조모상 | …their grandfather / grandmother. |
The notice also gives these practical details:
- 빈소 (binso): the memorial room, with a room number (호실) at the funeral hall (장례식장).
- 발인 (balin): the procession, usually early on the third morning. The wreath must arrive before this.
- 상주 (sangju): the chief mourners, often including your employee.
2. When a company sends a wreath
Practice varies by company, but these are common in Korea:
- Employee's parent, spouse or parent-in-law: the company sends a wreath. Many companies also send one for a grandparent.
- Client or partner: send one when the notice reaches you through business channels, especially for a senior contact.
- Several senders: it is normal for the company, the department and close colleagues to each send a wreath. Rows of wreaths are a sign of respect for the family.
3. How to sign the ribbons
A condolence wreath has two ribbons. One carries a short condolence phrase and the other names the sender.
| Sender ribbon | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ABC Inc. CEO John Smith | From the company, in the CEO's name. The most formal option. |
| ABC Inc. 임직원 일동 | From all executives and staff of ABC Inc. |
| ABC Inc. Sales Team 일동 | From everyone in the sales team. |
| ABC Inc. Seoul Office | From a local office or branch. |
For the message ribbon, 삼가 고인의 명복을 빕니다 ("We humbly pray for the peace of the departed") suits every situation. 삼가 조의를 표합니다 ("We offer our sincere condolences") is a formal alternative. English names are fine and are printed as written. Try combinations in our ribbon wording tool.
4. Timing across time zones
- Korea is on UTC+9 all year. It is 13–17 hours ahead of the US and 7–9 hours ahead of Europe.
- Online orders can be delivered from the next day, Korea time. Wreaths need 4–5 hours after the order is confirmed and are delivered until 10 PM.
- Order on the day the notice arrives. A notice received late in the funeral may leave no delivery date before the procession (발인). In that case, a personal message to the employee is the better gesture.
5. What to put in the order
- Address: the funeral hall's name and address from the notice. Pasting the Korean text is the most reliable.
- Address detail: the memorial room, for example "Room 3 (3호실)", plus the chief mourner's name.
- Recipient: the chief mourner (often your employee), with a phone number if you have one.
- Ribbons: the condolence phrase and your sender line.
6. Budget, payment and receipts
A standard three-tier condolence wreath is the norm for companies. It is appropriate from the CEO or the whole company, and larger designs are not expected. See current prices on our condolence wreaths page. Prices are in US dollars with delivery included.
You pay by PayPal or card. PayPal emails a payment receipt, and we email an order confirmation with the details, which covers most expense reports.
7. After the funeral
When your colleague returns to work, a short personal word is appreciated. The family will have seen the ribbons. Some employees thank their colleagues afterwards, sometimes with a small gift or a meal. This is their custom to return; no reply is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Should our company send a wreath when a Korean employee's parent dies?
Yes. In Korea a company usually sends a condolence wreath to the funeral hall when an employee loses a parent, spouse or parent-in-law, and often for a grandparent.
What does 부친상 mean?
The person named has lost their father. 모친상 is the loss of a mother, 빙부상 and 빙모상 are the wife's parents, 시부상 and 시모상 are the husband's parents, and 본인상 means the person named has died.
How should a company sign the ribbon?
Use the company name plus the CEO, such as "ABC Inc. CEO John Smith", or 임직원 일동 ("all executives and staff").
Can we get a receipt?
Yes. PayPal emails a payment receipt, and we email an order confirmation.