Seollal (설날)
Seollal (설날) is the name for the Lunar New Year in Korea. Previously, Lunar New Year in Korea was also known as Folk Day (1985-1988). Traditional Korean New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival in Korea are the two most important festivals of the land of kimchi.
For Koreans, Seollal is not only a promising new beginning, but also an opportunity for family members to return home together, to reunite and express gratitude and respect to their loved ancestors.
Because it is a traditional Korean New Year, the activities on this day are also steeped in traditions, as a way of preserving the beautiful cultural features of their homeland.
On these days, Koreans often wear their traditional clothes – Hanbok, perform ancestor worship rituals, prepare traditional dishes, and participate in Korean folk games.
In the Korean New Year custom, the offering tray is considered one of the most important traditions. The tray on the first morning of the new year is very elaborate, and usually there will be about 20 different dishes on the table. So to prepare the most hearty meal, the whole family will often have to do it together and sometimes it takes a whole day to complete.
The indispensable dishes are
Tteok, japchae, tteokguk, bindae-tteok, galbi-jjim and braised ribs, fruits such as pears, apples, dried persimmons, … and they are arranged in a clear order under the ancestral tablet.
Bowing is a traditional ritual in every Korean New Year, not only showing respect to ancestors, but children and grandchildren in the family can also show it by bowing to parents, grandparents, their birth parents or older people.
In addition, Koreans love to preserve the traditional features of their culture through folk games. So every New Year comes, families play these games together. There are many games Koreans play during Tet such as Yutnori, kite flying, shuttlecock, etc., but the most popular is still Yutnori.
The Lunar New Year in Korea is very interesting and cozy, isn’t it? Let’s see how the second country will be different from Korea!
