National holidays in Korea: description, history and traditions

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:46

Holidays are loved by all people: both adults and especially children, but it is the Koreans who value them very highly. There are 9 public holidays in the country, but if they fall on a weekend, they are not transferred to a weekday, so part of the holidays simply “burns out”. It is for this reason that Koreans treat each holiday with a special feeling and spend it brightly, beautifully, and cheerfully.

Korea, like any other country, is associated with certain established images. This is, first of all, the national Korean clothes - hanbok, which many people certainly wear for the holiday. This is he althy Korean food - kimchi and bulgogi. This is the Korean alphabet - Hangul, there is even a holiday dedicated to it. So, about the holidays in Korea in order.

New Year

New Year, which is celebrated on January 1, is formal in Korea. He is usually met with friends and relatives. Of course, there are decorated Christmas trees, and Santa Clauses, and New Year's cards, and gifts. Posters hanging on the streets wishing all the best andgood for the coming year. Many Koreans go to the mountains on this holiday, where they meet the first dawn of the year.

New Year according to the lunar calendar

This is the most important and longest holiday in the Korean calendar. Celebrations, festivals, fairs last 15 days, and the holiday itself lasts 3 days. This New Year is often called "Chinese" because the holiday itself and the traditions to celebrate it came from China.

The main New Year's tradition is dinner. There should be a wide variety of dishes on the table. At the table, according to legend, there are spirits of dead ancestors who come to celebrate the celebration together with their living relatives. On New Year's days, mass street festivities are organized - costumed dances, processions in masks and New Year's costumes.

The morning of a new day of the year begins with a traditional breakfast, national Korean dishes are served - kimchi, lotus root, anchovies, all kinds of spices and herbs, such as bell root and much more.

On the first day of the year, many rituals are held related to the cult of veneration of ancestors, for example, the tsar ritual is a sacrifice to the dead, a table is set for them in a special way, many dishes are arranged in a strict order and in strictly designated places.

On the same day, living relatives of the older generation are worshiped. The ritual begins with the fact that the younger members of the family literally bow to the elders, and the older ones give gifts and money to the younger ones.

DayIndependence of South Korea

March 1 is celebrated as Independence Day in South Korea to commemorate the country's independence from Japan. The Declaration of Independence was published in Seoul on March 1, 1919. A wave of rallies and demonstrations swept across the country, which testified to the mood of the Koreans for sovereignty.

Arbor Day

The holiday in Korea, celebrated on April 5, was established in connection with the ongoing reforestation campaign in the country. On this day, many residents participate in planting greenery in their neighborhoods.

Sometimes Arbor Day coincides with Korea's Hansik, a cold food festival. It is customary on this day to visit the graves of deceased ancestors, plant them with trees, farmers must water the rice fields with water or throw the first seeds into the ground. On this day, only cold food is accepted.

Children's Day

Since 1923, Children's Day has been a public holiday in South Korea. It is celebrated on May 5, and since 1975 it has been a non-working day. Mass festivities, sports games and competitions are held in all settlements of the country, the main characters of which are children.

Buddha's Birthday

The holiday falls on the eighth day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar. Koreans visit the Buddha temple, where they pray for good luck and he alth. Processions with lotus lanterns are held in settlements. All the temples in the country, streets and houses are decorated with the same lanterns.

Many temples arrangecharity dinners and tea parties, to which everyone is invited.

South Korean Constitution Day

Celebrated on July 17th. It was officially established in 1948 after the proclamation of the State Constitution. Since 2008, it has been a working day, no entertainment events are held, only solemn speeches by the first persons of the country.

Chuseok Holiday in Korea

It's an autumn holiday, full moon day. It falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar and lasts 3 days. Family members get together, remember those who have gone to another world, visit the graves. Every Korean seeks to celebrate the holiday in his native place with his family, so it is also called the day of the great migration, unthinkable traffic jams form on the roads of the country. The Chuseok festival in Korea is the most important of the year, celebrating the harvest, family and lineage.

Founding Day in South Korea

One of the main public holidays in South Korea in October is National Foundation Day. It is celebrated on October 3, which is a day off. It is one of five national holidays in Korea. It is celebrated in honor of the formation of the first Korean state in 2333 BC.

Fireworks Festival

The Fireworks Festival is held in Seoul and is international. Since 2000, a festival-holiday has traditionally been held in October in Korea. It brings together the best master pyrotechnics from all over the world and creates an atmosphere of beauty andcelebrations. Fireworks and pyrotechnic technologies are demonstrated here. Here you can see up to 50 thousand fireworks. Every year the festival becomes more and more popular and attracts more than a million tourists to bright and spectacular performances.

Korean Alphabet Day

The main holiday in South Korea in October is the Korean Alphabet Festival. The Korean alphabet is called Hangul. In fact, they celebrate its creation and proclamation as the state alphabet by King Sejong, this historical event took place in 1446. It is celebrated on October 9 and is a working day. Celebrations are held throughout the country dedicated to the national Korean culture and literature.

In general, it should be noted that there are not so many holidays in Korea in October, but they are mainly connected with statehood and national traditions. What other holidays are celebrated in Korea in October, besides the Day of the Foundation of the State and the Day of the Korean Alphabet? South Korea's Armed Forces Day is celebrated on October 1, with festive concerts and celebrations taking place throughout the country. This holiday is very revered in Korea, as it is considered a celebration of the strength and valor of the state.

Lantern Festival

Held annually in November in Seoul and dedicated to lanterns. It is very popular with tourists and citizens, as it is a very colorful and cheerful holiday. Lanterns are lit at 10:00 and they burn until 11 at night. As a rule, a huge number of people gather at the festival, folk festivals are organized on the square withcompetitions, competitions, games, dances and songs. About a kilometer of the city's main square is decorated with lanterns. They also conduct master classes on creating your own lantern, you can make it yourself and install it on the square. The festival has recently become popular and very popular.

Christmas

On December 25, Korea also celebrates a Christian holiday - Christmas. A third of the country's population is Christian, so Christmas is important to Koreans and is celebrated on a grand scale. It's a day off. Streets, houses, temples are decorated with Christmas illuminations and Christmas trees. The café serves special Christmas treats. Santa Clauses are everywhere. Christmas trees are set up even in Buddhist temples as a symbol of harmony between religions.

North Korean Holidays

Almost all festive events in this country are connected with the political course of the state, the only exception is the New Year. All holidays are associated with the ideas of communism and patriotism. The country celebrates a lot of memorable dates associated with the names of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. If these names are not present in the name of the holiday, then the state celebrates Army Day, Nation Day or Party Day. The country is practically isolated from the world, and citizens are brought up in the spirit of patriotism and love for the Motherland.

Instead of a conclusion

Korea is called the country of traditions. Children from an early age are taught certain rules of behavior and life: eat the right he althy food,honoring ancestors, honoring elders, knowing the national alphabet, wearing national clothes for holidays - these traditions have existed for centuries and will continue to exist for a long time, judging by how strictly Koreans observe them. The tradition of the state is also Korean holidays, which have evolved for more than one century and to this day unite and unite the nation.