Koreans have to celebrate the New Year twice. The first time is traditionally on January 1st, and the second time is either at the end of January or the beginning of February. And this holiday is called Seollal. Its date changes every year and is celebrated on the first day of the lunar calendar.
New Year traditions are sacredly revered in every Korean family, no matter what country it is in. It is known that Koreans live in Russia for generations, while preserving their national characteristics and customs.
So, what date is the Korean New Year 2025? What traditions are observed, interesting facts and examples of congratulations on the celebration in this article.
History of Korean New Year
This is one of the most popular and original winter holidays in Asia.. Despite the fact that Koreans have long since switched to the Gregorian calendar, celebrating the arrival of the Lunar New Year remains an unchanged cultural tradition of the people.
The first mentions of the celebration are found in Chinese historical works of the 3rd century. In Korean culture, Seollal is mentioned during the reign of the Silla Kingdom. By the 13th century, this holiday had become firmly established in every Korean family. Seollal has its roots in traditional Chinese Confucianism.
However, the Japanese occupation destroyed many of the people's customs and established the New Year according to the Gregorian calendar. Time passed and the original folk traditions returned to the daily life of Koreans. 2025 will be no exception and will give a lot of wonderful video reports about the celebration of the Korean New Year.
Tradition of celebration
During the celebration, traditions are strictly observed. Before the start of the holiday, all families strive to come to the house of the eldest son. In the morning on New Year's Day, the ritual "charye" is held. This is a rite of sacrifice to the 4th generations of deceased ancestors. This is a tribute of respect and gratitude to the elders of the family.
Korean New Year Menu
The ritual is strictly structured and involves women preparing food and men serving it to their ancestors. The menu may vary from region to region, but generally consists of:
- soup;
- seafood;
- rice;
- meat;
- fruits and vegetables;
- alcoholic beverages.
There are a lot of rules on how to set the table. Cutting, serving, the order of dishes, writing the names of ancestors, lighting incense sticks - everything must be strictly observed.
Often, dishes on the table are arranged according to the cardinal directions. In general, "Charye" consists of 13 stages, but each family has its own traditions, which may differ slightly from the general rules.
Once all the dishes and inscriptions of the ancestors' names are displayed, the whole family begins to bow.. Men start (2 bows), then women (4 bows). After that, everyone is invited to the table. It is believed that by eating food, people receive a blessing from their ancestors for the next year.
It is important to note that the Lunar New Year in Korea is celebrated for 3 days. However, the holiday often ends only after a week. They prepare for the holiday in advance, cook a lot of food and put up a screen with the names of ancestors written on it the day before the celebration.
The main dish is "Tokkuk". This is a rice cake soup and will be traditionally prepared for the Korean New Year of 2025. It has special significance on Seollal. Eating one bowl of the soup is said to mark the birth of a person according to the lunar calendar.
New Year's entertainment
Also at the beginning of the holiday, all Koreans put on new national costumes "hanbok". The color of the symbol of the coming year should predominate in the clothes. After the feast, it is time for the "sebae" ritual. This is how children congratulate older family members, making traditional bows.
This art is taught to children in kindergarten. In response, parents on the New Year in Korea 2025 give a parting and wise speech and give children money.
To create a relaxed atmosphere conducive to communication, Koreans play games like "GoStop" and "Yut Nori". Small amounts of money are often bet on. Games are often short, but encourage all guests to socialize.
Ritual dances, kite flying and competitions among girls are also an integral part of the holiday. It is believed that being the first to see the Moon is a good omen, so people try to closely watch the sky to be the first to report the appearance of the luminary.
How do they congratulate and what do they give for the Korean New Year?
When the New Year begins in Korea, it is customary to congratulate everyone in the family with gifts. Preference is given to money and food. So, when visiting in Korea for the New Year, it is appropriate to give:
- meat delicacies;
- traditional sweets;
- fruits;
- dried fish.
It is also customary to give practical gifts:
- certificates for purchases in stores or visits to services;
- sets of cosmetics and personal hygiene products;
- pieces of furniture.
However, the most popular gifts are money. After the holiday, children are proud of the amounts of money that adults have prepared for them.
What date is New Year 2025 in Korea?
It is known what date the New Year will be in Korea in 2024. It will come on January 22nd. As a congratulation, you can choose a postcard that will complement the gift. The text can contain wishes for health and well-being, prosperity and happiness in the coming year. It is more appropriate to use a free form for congratulations.
Many pictures use hieroglyphs and this is quite logical and understandable. The national language is part of the cultural heritage of each country. To create an elevated mood on the computer desktop, it is appropriate to install wallpaper with wishes in Korean.
Interesting facts about Korean New Year
The Eastern holiday is shrouded in myths and customs. So, regardless of which animal will be the coming symbol of the year, the main decoration of Korean houses is the image of a chicken and a tiger. People believe that the tiger will scare away evil spirits from the house, and the chicken will bring well-being and prosperity.
Interestingly, New Year celebrations in Korea begin early in the morning when everyone wakes up.Therefore, no matter what date the Korean New Year is, all families will begin the day by observing traditional rituals.
Babies born on the eve of Seollal immediately become two years old, since Koreans count pregnancy time as a year.
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