After the introduction of generative AI (GAI), numerous guidelines for the ethical use of GAI have been established. Although South Korea has not been a leading country in the development of ethical use of technology, not only government organisations, but also institutions and researchers have tried to establish GAI guidelines. In light of this, this study undertook a review of the GAI guidelines established by eleven universities in Korea, together with the announcements informing the established guidelines, and the relevant materials or opportunities provided. The eleven universities were classified into four groups according to their level of commitment to developing GAI guidelines. The eight main fields and 27 categories resulting from the guideline review were compared with the fields/categories of the GAI guidelines of Western universities. The aim of this study was to ascertain the rationale behind the establishment of GAI guidelines by Korean universities and to identify whether Korean guidelines demonstrate authenticity. The findings revealed that the bottom-up movement in Korea to develop GAI ethical guidelines could be described as a ‘work in progress’. The establishment of the GAI guideline itself could be considered as a first step, and there have been attempts that deserve attention regarding improving the authenticity of GAI guidelines: unambiguous motivation to lead the development of GAI guidelines, reflecting institutions’ core values or existing ethical codes, signed agreements and additional announcements for midterm/final exams to address current limitations related to the power of enforcement guidelines with, and ongoing efforts to identify the needs and difficulties of students and instructors.