Korean holidays: description, history and traditions

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:48

There are many national holidays in the Republic of Korea, which are loved and revered by the people of this country. The history of some began many centuries ago, while others - more recently. Each celebration has its own traditions and customs, which are observed with trepidation by the people of this magnificent country.

Korean national holidays and dates

The country's most important celebrations are in autumn and winter. During all official holidays, the government provides the population with days off. But this happens if the celebration is state, not religious.

Major Korean holidays:

• Chuseok - 14th, 15th, 16th days of the eighth lunar month.
• Christmas - December 25.
• New Year and Seollal - January 1 and the first day of the lunar calendar.
• Independence Movement Day - March 1st.
• Remembrance Day - July 6.

Of all the celebrations in the country, the most important and revered are the Korean New Year and Chuseok. Officially, they are considered weekends and last for three days. All thistime, local residents arrange theatrical performances, performances and festivals, honor the traditions of holidays and their customs. To get tourists to such national celebrations is considered a great success and joy.

Harvest Day

Chuseok is one of the most significant Korean holidays in October, which is celebrated on the day of the full moon. All the inhabitants of the country are looking forward to the autumn celebration in honor of the harvest and specially come to their parents' houses to meet it together. The Korean holiday Chuseok is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month and lasts for three days in total. At this celebration, people express their gratitude to the earth for its generosity.

All relatives and close people gather at the Korean harvest festival, they cook the national dishes of the country together. But the most important ritual on this significant day is visiting the graves of ancestors and singing them during the entire feast. Also, sacrifices and traditional round dances are arranged at the autumn celebration.

Older generations, in contrast to young people, treat the Korean harvest festival with special trepidation. They observe absolutely all its traditions, even despite the fact that many centuries have passed since the founding of this celebration. So, many centuries ago, on this day, it was customary to wear a new hanbok (a festive outfit of Koreans), but the younger generation changed it to ordinary clothes.

National Chuseok dishes and honoring ancestors

All the solemn events of the Korean people are held in compliance with the rules regarding the festive table. In addition to a variety of dishes,prepared according to the preference of the hostess herself, fresh rice wine must be present at the bottom of the harvest. It can be fresh or aged up to one year.

It is also necessary to prepare rice dough bread in advance. Koreans call them songpyeong and cook them with the whole family on the eve of the holiday. Sweet beans or sesame can be added to rice cakes. Jeon cakes are also considered mandatory for cooking. They are baked from rice dough with pieces of various fillings, seasoned with sesame seeds or legumes. There is no exact recipe for this dish, the ingredients may vary slightly in different parts of South Korea.

After the meal, Koreans without fail come to the graves of their ancestors, perform ceremonies there, including the presentation of treats (seonmyu ritual). At the burial sites, people mow the grass and clear the area of debris.

Korean Christmas

This holiday is considered one of the most important in the Republic of Korea. Christmas is celebrated here on December 25th. It is because of this winter celebration that all streets, shops, houses and public places begin to be decorated with sparkling lights and bright posters. Christmas music is playing everywhere, and cafes and restaurants are full of a variety of unusual dishes and drinks.

On the eve of this Korean holiday, a variety of festivals and theatrical performances are held in parks and city squares. Most often, people celebrate Christmas in the family circle, being inhome environment. The main dish of the feast is a festive pie with various fillings of meat, fish with spices and legumes.

New Year

As in China, this holiday in Korea is celebrated twice a year: according to the solar and lunar calendar. Such celebrations immerse the country in a winter fairy tale thanks to their colorful performances. The Korean population celebrates the first New Year, like most other countries, on the first of January. And the traditional celebration of Seollal falls only in February. There, having visited the Republic of Korea during these two months, you can fully experience the whole atmosphere of the holiday of this country and admire its beauties.

Meet the New Year in this state, not like in Russia, at night, but only at dawn, in the company of close and dear people. To observe traditions, people go out on rooftops, verandas and balconies, go to the mountains and hills. The weather in Korea also contributes to this. Due to the rather warm climate in the country, New Year's celebrations are held without frost and strong winds.

Features of the holiday

It is surprising that Koreans start decorating the streets and houses from the beginning of December, almost a month before Christmas, and they clean it all up only in February, after Seollal. For two and a half months, the atmosphere of a holiday, magic and a wonderful fairy tale reigns in the country, which anyone can get into.

On the very celebration in Korea, according to tradition, the population launches numerous kites. Such an action can captivate any tourist with its beauty.and extraordinary. Also, many traditional rice dishes are prepared for this Korean holiday. One of them is ttok. This is a Korean national sweet dessert that every guest should definitely eat, as, according to legend, such a delicacy attracts good luck and happiness.

National celebration - Seollal

Korean New Year is officially celebrated by the locals for three days. But earlier the holiday lasted longer, from the new moon to the full moon, for a total of 15 days. Traditionally, the New Year celebration is celebrated in the family circle, with a variety of national dishes and drinks: Korean dumplings, rice wine, tteok. As well as five-grain porridge.

Besides this, the festive table should include: dried fish, Korean sweets and fruits. On New Year's Eve, the house is decorated with images of a tiger and a chicken. According to legend, these animals attract prosperity, happiness and scare away evil.

It is also customary to wear national clothes for the holiday and give gifts to loved ones, relatives, colleagues and acquaintances. The most common are money and products. You can give festive food and sweets.

Independence Movement Day

Samiljol is a public holiday celebrated in Korea on the first of March. It was on this day in 1919 that the country's independence from the occupation of Japan was proclaimed.

This holiday is celebrated by the whole country. The Korean people take to the squares with the flags of their state. Also on this holiday, concerts, theatrical performances are held, excursions to museums are organized, where outstanding personalities of that time and their biographies are shown.

Even on this significant day, the heroine of the country, Yu Gwang Soon, is honored. The girl fought to the last for the future of her country. She initiated uprisings against Japanese totalitarianism. The girl died in agony due to the torture of the invaders and was subsequently recognized as a national heroine. Yoo Gwang Soon was only 17 years old.

Official Remembrance Day

Korea's national holiday is celebrated on June 6th to commemorate the end of the Civil War in 1953. The Day of Remembrance received the status of an official celebration in 1970. At the holiday, Koreans remember the heroes who sacrificed their lives to save the Motherland.

On this memorable day at 10 am, a minute of silence is announced throughout the country in honor of all the dead civilians and soldiers. Flowers are laid on graves and monuments throughout the day - white chrysanthemums, as a sign of mourning. In Korea, concerts are held dedicated to war veterans, songs of those years are performed. Children put on theatrical skits on the theme of battles.

All national Korean holidays and traditions differ from each other in customs and rituals. But one thing remains unchanged in them - respect and reverence for their people. Local residents treat all the celebrations held in their country with special trepidation, carefully preserve them and pass them on from generation to generation.

South Korea is famous for its special attitude towards the elderly andancestors. Children and adolescents are taught love and respect for elders and national traditions from an early age. The Korean people are amazing people, well educated and honoring customs.