Blackjack Rules and How to Play: What to Know Before Your First Game at a Korean Casino
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A beginner-friendly overview of blackjack at Korean casinos: how to count cards, how to signal hit or stay, how a game works, options such as double down and split, and payouts, based on the game guide on Paradise Casino's official website.
Blackjack is a table game where you try to make your card total 21 or close to 21, and you win if your total is higher than the dealer's. Unlike baccarat, you decide for yourself whether to take more cards.
This article sums up the rules and how a game works, based on the game guide on Paradise Casino's official website (checked on September 29, 2026). Payouts and available options may differ by casino and table, so follow the table signs and staff instructions at the casino where you play. This article explains the rules only. It is not a way to win.
Blackjack basics
After looking at your first two cards, you choose to take another card (hit) or not (stay). If your total goes over 21, you lose right away (bust).
The dealer follows a fixed rule: with a two-card total of 16 or less, the dealer keeps taking cards until reaching 17 or more. If the dealer busts, every player who has not busted wins. If neither busts, players with a higher total than the dealer win, players with a lower total lose, and equal totals are a tie.
How to count the cards
- An ace (A) counts as 1 or 11
- Face cards (K, Q, J) count as 10
- All other cards count as the number shown
- A first two cards of an A plus a 10, J, Q or K, totaling 21, is called a blackjack. It is the strongest hand
Use hand signals to hit or stay
According to the official guide, you must show hit, stay and surrender with set hand signals.
| Action | Meaning | Signal |
|---|---|---|
| Hit | I want one more card | Say "hit" and tap the table lightly with your hand |
| Stay | No more cards | Say "stay" and wave your hand to decline |
| Surrender | Fold (you give up half of your bet in exchange for leaving the hand) | Say "surrender" and draw a line on the table from left to right with your index finger |
How a game works
- Place your chips when the dealer invites bets. According to the official guide, each player can bet on 1 to 3 hands
- The dealer deals two cards to everyone and turns one of the dealer's own two cards face up
- If the dealer's face-up card is an A or a 10, the dealer first checks for a blackjack. If the dealer has a blackjack, the game ends
- The dealer asks each player in turn whether to hit or stay. Any hand that goes over 21 loses at that point
- Finally, the dealer reveals both cards and, with 16 or less, takes cards until reaching 17 or more. Then wins and losses are settled, with winning bets paid and losing bets collected
Once the dealer announces "No More Bets," you can no longer bet.
Options you can choose
| Option | When you can use it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Double down | After your first two cards are dealt | You can add up to the amount of your original bet, on the condition that you take exactly one more card |
| Split | When your first two cards have the same number | You split them into two hands and keep playing. You add a bet equal to your original bet |
| Insurance | When the dealer's face-up card is an A | An extra side bet of up to half your original bet. If the dealer has a blackjack, insurance pays 2x |
| Even money | When you have a blackjack and the dealer's face-up card is an A | You can take a payout of 1x your bet and end the hand before the dealer's card is checked |
On splits, the official guide says that 10, J, Q and K can be split as cards of equal value, and that you can split until you have 4 hands.
How payouts work
| Result | Payout |
|---|---|
| You win with a higher total than the dealer | Same amount as your bet |
| You have a blackjack | 1.5x the bet (a tie if the dealer also has a blackjack) |
| Tie | Your bet is neither paid nor collected |
| Pair bet (your first two cards are a pair of the same number) | 11x the bet |
For the pair bet, cards with different ranks, such as a 10 and a J, do not count as a pair.
Where you can play in Korea
Blackjack has been confirmed at all 8 major casinos in Incheon, Seoul, Busan and Jeju covered on this site. For how the games differ by casino, see our comparison of Korea's casinos.
Each casino page covers how to get there, entry requirements and the hotel at the same resort: Paradise City (Incheon) / INSPIRE Casino (Incheon) / Paradise Casino Walkerhill (Seoul) / Seven Luck Casino Gangnam COEX (Seoul) / Seven Luck Casino Seoul Dragon City (Seoul) / Paradise Casino Busan (Busan) / Seven Luck Casino Busan Lotte Hotel (Busan) / Dream Tower Casino (Jeju).
Things to check before you play
For how to buy chips and exchange money, see Korean casino chips and currency exchange. If you would rather start with a game where you make fewer decisions yourself, also see Baccarat rules and how to play.
For a chart on when to hit or stay (stand), and the probabilities in tricky spots such as 12 or 13, see Blackjack by the numbers.
Decide how much you will spend at the casino before your trip, and enjoy the game within that amount. The 8 casinos covered on this site are for foreign visitors only (Korean nationals are not admitted) and are open to visitors aged 19 and over.
Summary
Blackjack is a game where you take cards without going over 21 and aim for a higher total than the dealer. You show hit or stay with set hand signals. Available options and payouts may differ by table, so check the table sign and staff instructions before you sit down.
CASINO PASSPORT editorial team
The CASINO PASSPORT editorial team presents travel information that includes legal, real-world casinos abroad, explained clearly for travelers from Japan. We check facility information against official websites, operating companies and public tourism information, and update it with a focus on accuracy and freshness. We do not introduce or recommend online casinos.
Related casinos
Facility images include illustrations and photos provided by the facilities. Credits for provided photos are shown on each facility page.
Paradise Casino Walkerhill
A casino on Walkerhill-ro in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. It is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Foreign travelers can enter by showing their passport, and you must be 19 or older. It offers Baccarat and a range of other games.
Paradise City
A casino inside Paradise City, an integrated resort close to Incheon International Airport. It is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Foreign travelers can enter by showing their passport, and you must be 19 or older.
Paradise Casino Busan
A casino in the Haeundae area of Busan. It is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Foreign travelers can enter by showing their passport, and you must be 19 or older. Casual clothing is fine.
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