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The first day of 2025 is just around the corner!
Are you ready to close out 2024 and welcome in 2025?
Korea celebrates January 1st as Seollal, showcasing a variety of New Year's customs.
This time, we'll tell you about the Korean New Year!
Let's begin😎
The first day of the new year in Korea is called '설날(Seollal)'. There’re several intriguing theories regarding the origin of the name 'Seollal'. One theory suggests that it derives from the Korean word '낯설다,' which means unfamiliar, as it marks the first day of the new year. Another theory posits that it comes from '새로날', meaning a new day, symbolizing the beginning of a new year. Lastly, some believe it originates from '섧다' meaning to be careful, reflecting the idea that our ancestors viewed Seollal as a day when they were not yet accustomed to the new year. They believed that by exercising caution, they could smoothly transition into the new year. Isn't it fascinating that the word 'Seollal' encapsulates the perspectives of ancient Koreans regarding this significant day?
Did you know that there're two New Year's holidays in Korea? Most people celebrate the New Year on January 1st, the first day of the year, but Korea doesn't observe a public holiday for Seollal until late January or February. While Korea also recognizes January 1st as the beginning of the year, traditional holiday events are held on the first day of the first lunar month. Since Seollal has traditionally been celebrated on this day, Korea designates three days, including the day before and the day after, as public holidays based on the lunar calendar. This's also the reason for the significant traffic congestion during Seollal, as families reunite after long separations and partake in traditional activities, such as enjoying Seollal food.
Korea has various customs to wish for happiness and a fresh start on the first day of the year. While there're many traditions, they generally focus on cleansing the body and mind, allowing negative energy to dissipate while inviting positive energy to flow in. Why not begin the year in the Korean way this time? We'll introduce you to some Korean New Year customs that are beneficial to observe!
One of Korea's traditional New Year's customs is bowing to one's elders as the first greeting of the new year and it called 'Sebae'. This practice expresses gratitude to elders and wishes them good health, while also embodying the determination to set one's mind and body right for the new year and make a fresh start. It's customary to greet the new year by wearing a new hanbok called 'Seolbim', cleansing oneself, and offering this gesture with a sincere heart. After the sebae, the elders who receive the greeting often reciprocate with New Year's money placed in a lucky pouch or well-wishes. Although many of Korea's unique customs, such as wearing hanbok and using lucky pouches, have diminished in recent years, why not take the opportunity to bow to your elders while wearing hanbok and presenting lucky pouches at least once?
Bokjori is a hanging jori crafted from thinly split bamboo. Traditionally, a jori is a tool used to filter and scoop out washed rice and impurities. Consequently, Bokjori is hung in homes with the hope of attracting good fortune, as it symbolizes the filtering out of negativity and the welcoming of positivity. This Seollal, consider hanging Bokjori in your home to wish for a safe and prosperous year ahead!
Kite flying, which involves repeatedly winding and releasing a string to elevate a kite high into the wind, is a cherished custom to celebrate the New Year. Symbolically, people write words representing bad luck, such as “evil”, on the kite and then cut the string to send it soaring far away. This act signifies the intention of casting away the misfortunes of the past year while welcoming good fortune. To prevent the kite string from becoming tangled, it's advisable to use a large park or open space. At Hangang Park, for instance, you can often see kites soaring high in the sky. It's exhilarating to run around in the brisk wind while flying a kite, so let go of all the bad luck from the New Year by sending your kite aloft!
In Korea, it's a common tradition to eat tteokguk(rice cake soup) on New Year's Day. Even for those who don't strictly adhere to traditional customs, many people prepare tteokguk to celebrate the occasion. Tteokguk is a dish that features a savory soup base, rice cakes (tteok), and is garnished with meat, green onions, and egg yolks. The inclusion of thinly sliced garaetteok symbolizes the wish for a long and healthy life. How about celebrating this year’s Lunar New Year with some homemade tteokguk?
Ingredients: Soaked tteokguk tteok, ingredients for the broth (meat or anchovies, kelp), eggs, green onions, and garlic. You may also prepare dumplings, Seaweed flake, sesame oil, and other seasonings to suit your taste. For the meat broth, add the meat and kelp to water and simmer to create the broth. You can also use anchovies in the same way. If you don't have time, you can use coin broth, or store-bought broth as alternatives! Once the broth reaches a boil, add the pre-soaked tteok. This's also a great time to include dumplings for added flavor. While the broth is boiling, separate the egg whites and yolks, cook them in a pan, and slice them thinly. When the broth is ready, remove the meat, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and season with soy sauce, chicken stock, salt, and minced garlic. Once the tteok and dumplings are fully cooked, add the green onions, boil for a short time, arrange everything on a plate, and enjoy your tteokguk!
Let's learn New Year's greetings in Korean! The phrase we'll learn today is '새해 복 많이 받으세요'. the same as the English expression 'Happy New Year', and Korean use it to welcome the New Year. In Korean, '새해' means New Year, '복' means luck, '많이' means many or a lot, and '받으세요' means to receive. So, it's literally translated as 'Please receive a lot of luck in this year'. It's a heartfelt greeting that can be used on New Year's Day. If you have a Korean friend, why not try greeting them in Korean this New Year? 새해 복 많이 받으세요!