Koreans’ distinct celebration of the Lunar Festival

We know a lot about the contemporary Korean culture through their music, films and TV programs but little do we explore about its traditional culture that has stood the test of time. Some of these traditions are still being practiced by many Koreans today particularly during the season of the Lunar Festival.

Babies wearing the traditional Korean garment, Hanbok Source: Pixabay

Mr David Park, Manager of Media Relations and Events from the Korean Cultural Centre Australia, shares several of these traditions (and delicious cuisines) during the Seollal, or Korean New Year.

1. Charye

An ancestral ritual honoring the older generations. It is closely tied to the three-day celebration of Lunar New Year in Korea.

The members of the family bow in procession from the oldest to the youngest in front of a table filled with foods and several incenses. This is believed to be a way for the ancestors to continue blessing the family.

Incenses are used during Charye ceremony (Pixabay) Source: FreeImages

2. Hanbok

It is a traditional Korean garment that some Korean families still wear today on this special occasion.

Hanbok, a traditional Korean garment worn on special occasions such as the Korean New Year (Pixabay) Source: FreeImages

3. Jeon

One of the most popular foods during the New Year. It is like a savory pancake and can be made using the ingredients such as meat, fish, seafoods, kimchi or poultry. Any from these ingredients is battered with flour and egg and pan-fried afterwards.

Kimchi pancake (Pixabay) Source: FreeImages

4. Tteokguk 

A traditional Korean food during the Seollal celebration. It is also known as the rice cake soup as it is a soup with thinly sliced rice cake. 

There is a saying that if you finished your Tteokguk in the morning of the New Year’s Day, you gain one year older. Asking, “How many bowls of Tteokguk have you eaten?”, means inquiring about the person’s age.

Rice Cake Soup (Korean Cultural Centre Australia FB page) Source: Facebook

5. Yut Nori

It is a traditional board game that is very popular during the time of Seollal. This strategic game uses the yut-sticks as a dice. The tokens or ‘mals’ move and progress across the board depending on the scores obtained from the casted sticks.

 

6. Sebae

Youngsters in their traditional clothing do a formal bow in front of the elders to demonstrate respect. Elders, in turn, reward this gesture with New Year’s pocket money. The younger you are the more pocket money you will receive.

Babies wearing the traditional Korean garment, Hanbok Source: Pixabay

Mr Park says the Korean New Year celebration is distinct from other communities’ celebration of the Lunar New Year in terms of its rituals, traditions and foods. But there are also similarities.

“I think even Vietnamese, Chinese and other countries that celebrate Lunar New Year have the similarities in the distinctness; and that I guess, in sharing the sentiments of family and sharing the sentiments of spending the festive time with loved ones.”

Korean family enjoying their time together (Pixabay) Source: FreeImages

“I find this as a very core element which resonates with all countries that celebrate Lunar New year,” he shares.

Listen to the full interview.