When you try to pay for things with change in the US other than laundry you usually get dirty looks or maybe even stubborn refusal.

I have a friend in Milwaukee who once, to prove some point known only to him, tried to pay overdue parking tickets with sacks of pennies. When the police refused his passive aggressive form of payment, his little tantrum about coin as legal tender eventually got him thrown in the hoosegow.

Little danger of that here. Every time I have pulled out change I get not scowls but motherly insistence that I hand the whole fistful over so it can be counted by someone other than a big dumb American poking slowly through them. These helpful cashiers usually count it all up and gave me Won bills back. Twice now, at convenience stores called Family Marts (which are all over the place) the cashiers have taken my change even though it doesn't add up to the total due, with a conspiratorial wink as if to say "let's just dispense with this whole change business and get'er done."

Though, thankfully, I haven't heard that actual phrase since leaving the US.

But if you want to cash a check here, you need you passport and several forms filled out, an elaborate and time consuming procedure. Stick to the coins.

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