What advice would you give to someone going to Korea (first duty station) who has never been out of the country before?

HHB 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery and HHC 2nd Battalion 503rd Infantry 2nd Infantry Division, Korea APO SF 96224 I was station in Korea for Dec 1984 to Dec 1988 Korea (4 years) I love Korea!!

If your duty station has a katusa contingent or there is a local village right there and you Ca take up Toc Kwan Do karate. That's the only regret I had when stationed near Camp Casey in 1968

Know the custom of Korea and you will do fine

Stay away from the "Buy me drinkie" bars! Instead get to know some Koreans and get them to show you some of the country that the tourists never get to see. Learn about the culture and the history. (From someone who was there 1983-84 and got to see places that just blew my mind).

Don't eat the Ka gogi

Try to learn the language as soon as you can. You will get a lot more enjoyment of your tour.

Enjoy yourself. Immerse yourself as much as is legally permissible in the local culture. Learn the language or at least give it a decent enough go. Date a local but be careful.

On the real though? Military postings the world over are magnets for men and women that want nothing more than an easy ride as they find a US Military member and do their damndest to get them to pop that question or guilt them into it with a 9 month surprise. Don't carry a lot of cash on you. Know the area you are in and use the buddy system. Know the laws of your area and the regs of your post. Don't go into areas that command has labeled off limits, they do so for a good damn reason.

Do not assume that what is ok in the US is ok where you are posted. It is a whole different culture once you depart CONUS and honor is HUGE there. HUGE.

Enjoy your tour. Korea is a great tour.

40 years ago, I was a 19 yo E-4 headed to Korea. Comments seem to be centered on women; I’d add these:
—Be respectful...of Korean culture, food, and women. Don’t assume every woman you meet is a business woman....unless you are in a place where only prostitutes hang out.
—Learn...language, culture, food, people. I love many things Korean to this day as a result of my exposure as a teenager.
—Stay out of trouble...every Army town has more than enough opportunity to get in trouble with drugs, alcohol, women. Korea more so because of family separation.
—Travel...use the train and bus system to travel in Korea. Chejudo Island. Seoul. Inchon. Far East Asia. Australia.
—Grow...take advantage of college courses. Little did I know my few college courses in Korea would be critical in getting a ROTC scholarship on my return.
Have a great tour, my friend. This sounds like the first step into adulthood. Make it count.

Along with the USFK required online training, read This Kind Of War and read about the history of Korea particularly about the history of Korea from 1850 onwards.