Korean New Year
seollal korean 설날 rr seollal mr sŏllal korean traditional festival national holiday commemorating first day lunisolar calendar one important traditional holiday ethnic korean celebrated north korea south korea well korean diaspora around world seol written 설 middle korean hangul mean year age since also date korean grow year older though south korea changed modern korean word age – sal derived origin seol nal 날 mean day korean derived old korean nal hanja term wonil 月日 used referring date lunar new year korean calendar korean lunisolar calendar like east asian calendar japan mongolia vietnam among others derived historical variant chinese one shixian calendar ming dynasty china japan use different term respective new year 正月 元日 derived classical chinese time many korean would visit family perform ancestral rite wear hanbok 한복 韓服 chosŏnot 조선옷 朝鮮옷 eat traditional food play traditional folk game one well known practice current day receiving money elder performing formal bow tradition likely adopted confucian custom seollal generally occurs january february second new moon winter solstice unless intercalary eleventh twelfth month leadup new year case new year fall third new moon solstice seollal generally refers eumnyeok seollal korean 음력 설날 hanja 陰曆설날 lit lunar new year also known gujeong korean 구정 hanja 舊正 seollal may also refer yangnyeok seollal korean 양력 설날 hanja 陽曆설날 lit solar new year ie gregorian new year january also known sinjeong 신정 新正 korean new year generally referred seollal called many name listed table earliest attestation festival custom surrounding seollal found dongyi section volume book wei 魏書 東夷傳 contemporary chinese historical work called record three kingdom 三國志 worshipping event celebration singing dancing recorded buyeo th month 殷正月 chinese calendar time earliest record seollal celebration included th century chinese historical work called book sui 隋書 old book tang 舊唐書 containing excerpt national ritual festival silla th century discontinued practice worshipping deity native folk religion one sun moon also mentioned oldest surviving korean record seollal found samguk yusa 三國遺事 compiled th century rule bicheo also called soji st ruler silla ad number unfortunate event surrounding affair high ranking person responsible shrine 宮主 noble coincided specific lineup zodiac sign led day also nicknamed daldo 怛忉 custom ceremony seollal passed onto time continued goryeo joseon well modern day th century korean new year one nine major national festival goryeo according goryeosa korea increasingly politically intimidated empire japan chinese suzerainty qing dynasty time korea severely diminished first sinojapanese war celebrating seollal banned korea last de jure emperor sunjong intense pressure japanese choice enact ban despite reluctance korean people japanese ruler forced korean say part cultural assimilation genocide korea officially annexed empire japan year war intimidation political machination period japanese reiterated prohibition celebrating seollal japanese ruler set official korean new year follow japanese new year set first day gregorian calendar since meiji restoration day called 신정 新正 old new year became 구정 舊正 liberation korea prior korean war provisional korean government designated period january gregorian calendar public new year holiday south korea widespread opinion among south korean seollal redesignated national holiday factor include respecting cultural tradition raised addition removing remnant japanese colonial rule south korean dictatorship period especially syngman rhee park chunghee response south korean government declared seollal folk day roh taewoo administration accepted public opinion old new year day revitalized designating original new year seollal official korean new year national holiday festival typical family holiday korean threeday holiday used many return hometown visit parent relative perform ancestral ritual called charye three day day day day million south korean reportedly would traveling visit family korean new year korean travel within country around world well many korean travel overseas visit family annual holiday since one time family may able get together catch one anothers life considered respectful important attend holiday often family member first visit elder includes grandparent parent also considered respectful people visit mother fathersinlaw korean new year including travel expense preparation holiday costly gift usually given family member new clothes worn holiday traditional food prepared many family member coming visit holiday fruit especially expensive due increased demand food price inflated month seollal result people chosen forgo tradition become expensive family prepare modest ancestral rite necessary food seollal government started taking certain measure help stabilize support ordinary people livelihood new year holiday period raising supply agricultural fishery livestock product government also used rice reserve pork import lower inflation government also putting money small mediumsized company help cash flowmany preparation go celebrating korean new year first morning korean pay respect towards ancestor traditional food placed table offering ancestor rite begin deep bow family member sign respect important practice first day new year korea also pray wellbeing family member many korean dress colourful traditional korean clothing called hanbok usually worn special occasion wedding korean new year child first birthday amongst others however modernization evolving more culture people tend prefer westernized modern clothing hanbok rite member big feast additionally korean follow zodiac identical chinese zodiac animal represent year sequential order ratmouse representing first year buddha believed invited animal world visit visited return honoured naming year order arrived korean believe specific zodiac animal bring specific resource quality example year year horse considered good year money career aspect life said person born specific zodiacal year carry zodiac animal characteristic result korean plan year activity around good prosperous year parent may even planned birth year child child may specific characteristic another custom observed lighting moon house built burnable firewood branch symbolizes warding badevil spirit new year many also choose add wish want come true next year moon house sebae korean 세배 hanja 歲拜 lit worship elder ritual filial piety traditionally observed seollal dressed traditional clothing people wish elder grandparent parent aunt uncle happy new year performing deep traditional bow rite one bow involved usually deceased saying word saehae bok mani badeuseyo 새해 복 많이 받으세요 please receive lot good fortune new year elder typically reward gesture giving child new year money pocket money called sebaet usually form crisp paper money silk bag made beautiful traditional design well offering word wisdom dŏkdam historically parent gave rice cake ddeok fruit child main dish eaten new year’s day south korea tteokguk 떡국 pronunciation tɔɡək traditional soup consisting rice cake tteok commonly served beef based broth typically garnished thinly sliced egg green onion meat many variation featuring soy sauce soup base well addition korean dumpling known mandu 만두 tteok made steaming glutinous rice flour shaping dough long rope signify “an expansion good fortune new year” rice cake rope sliced thin oval shape thought resemble “yeopjeon 엽전” traditional korean currency white color rice cake also thought represent “purity cleanliness” korean people believe eating tteokguk signifies adding another year life well origin traced back th century mention tteokguk “dongguk sesigi” book traditional korean custom dish said “prepared ancestral rite first morning lunar new year tteokguk carry heavy symbolic meaning seollal dish representing good fortune new beginning rich holiday tradition korea savory pancake called jeon 전 pronunciation tɕʌn typically included korean new year feast made various filling meat seafood vegetable side dish fried flourbased side dish many variation shredded beef yukjeon 육전 oyster guljeon 굴전 kimchi kimchijeon 김치전 green onion pajeon 파전 popular filling crispy pancake jeon often accompanied spicy soy sauce vinegar mixture flavored korean chili powder called gochugaru enhance taste traditionally jeon prepared holiday festive occasion like lunar new year though presently regarded staple korean side dish appetizer everyday meal addition served birthday party wedding japchae 잡채 pronunciation t͡ɕa̠p̚t͡ɕʰɛ often served holiday like seollal well japchae noodle dish containing beef vegetable spinach carrot mushroom chili pepper clear cellophane noodle made potato starch mixture stir fried tossed sauce made soy sauce sugar sesame oil originally japchae contain noodle meat invented servant king gwangaegun though evolved since become korea’s well known noodle dish suitable celebration many traditional game associated korean new year traditional family board game yutnori remains popular game especially korean new year played using set specially designed stick considered appropriate age gender men boy traditionally would also fly rectangle kite called yeon 연 see yeonnalligi also play jegichagi game light object wrapped paper cloth kicked footbaglike manner korean woman girl would traditionally played neolttwigi game jumping seesaw 시소 gongginori game played five little gonggi originally little stone today many buy manufactured gongi toy shop top paengi 팽이 spinning also traditional game played child recently adult play gostop instead traditional hwatu korean calendar public holiday south korea public holiday north korea celebration lunar new year part asia chinese new year spring festival japanese new year shōgatsu mongolian new year tsagaan sar tibetan new year losar vietnamese new year tết nguyên đán similar asian lunisolar new year celebration occur april burmese new year thingyan cambodian new year chaul chnam thmey lao new year pii mai sri lankan new year aluth avuruddu thai new year songkran