What's UP, Korea?) Korean New Year is coming!


Hello ST People~
 
How are you all? ^_________^
 
 
 
I would like to ask what is the biggest holiday a year in your country?
 
In Korea, there are several big holidays such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, but the biggest holiday a year is, of course, Korean New Year which mostly comes in February.
 
 
 
We celebrate New Year's Days twice a year;
 
1) On the very first day of the new year and people visit to different places (mostly where they can see the sun rising to pray for the new year or Bosingak, in Seoul, to watch annual bell-ringing ceremony~)
 
2) Lunar New Year (we call Gujeong in Korean)
The holiday is mostly about 4-5 long days starting with the actual first day of the Korean lunar calendar. In 2018,February 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th are the holidays.
 
 
 
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
2018 Bosingak Bell-Ringing Ceremony
(KBS1 Broadcasting) (2017-2018)
 
Every broadcasting channels in Korea air the ceremony separately and it is absoultely joyful and refreshing moment to share with beloved ones!
Be careful that there are just tons of people and the weather is really freezing!
But I still think annual ceremony must be one of the most fun things you can exprience in foreign country and I would definitely do if I have a chance to do!!
 
 
Find out more information about Korean annual ceremony!

 
 
 
 
 
So, What is Korean New Year?
 

(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
The period of holidays are similar between Korean New Year and Thanksgiving days, but we never skip celebrating New Year! There are some must things to do, wear, and eat regardless ages and sexes.
 
 
 
Now, the population of Korea is about 52 million by 2016 however Seoul Capital Area where the largest numbers of Koreans gathered in is now up to 25.6 million. This is the second largest metropolitan in the world and telle how busy and squeezed in one specific area of Korea. Thie happens related to education and jobs where Seoul is believed to have better quality than any other areas in Korea.
 
However older generation or bigger families more live outside of Seoul therefore the traffic jam is beyond your imagination especially on New Year and Thanksgiving holidays.
 
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
I used to visit to relatives who live in Daegu where mostly takes about 4-5 hours by a car and once it took almost 14 hours when I was very young. At that moment, we did not have better transportations that we have now such as KTX (the train that takes less than only 2 hours!)
 
 
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
So many people line up to buy KTX ticket when they open for New Year schedule.
Never easy to get a ticket during holidays T_T
I had used KTX several times and it is so convenient to your destination~!
 
 
 
 
 
On New Year and Thanksgiving holidays,
we wear Hanbok !
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
Hanbok is traditional Korean clothing which Koreans used to wear daily in the past time. Nowdays, we wear casual and modern so just happen to wear on special events such as big holidays or wedding. (On wedding, we wear wedding dress for the main event and wear Hanbok for the following event)
 
I absolutely think Hanbok is very colorful and elegant, and shows one's dignity very much that you act more carefully when wearing the costume.
 
I used to have mine in light purple color and wear them until high school years but at some point, stopped wearing it any longer.
 

(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
Nowdays, instead of adults, childs wear Hanbok more~ They are soooo cute!
The reason why parents dress their childs Hanbok?
 
 
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
Because we do Sebae (worship elders), which is a ritual of filial piety and we do on New Year holidays. Dressed in traditional clothing, childs wish their elders (grandparents, parents and relatives) a happy new year by performing a deep traditional bow.
And we say the words 'Saehae bok mani badeuseyo (새해 복 많이 받으세요)'
 
 
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
Then the elders who received a bow gives to the childs pocket money. When I was very young, the money felt so a lot (it wasn't a big money though hehe) that my mom asked me to deposit her the money. Ironically, once the money went to my mom, it never came back T_T....Sad story....
 
 
 
 
 
Hanbok
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
The ones above are more normal people(?) used to and would wear while the Hanbok loyals used to wear was a lot more fancy, decorate, and colorful!
 
The photo above is Korean actress Yoon Eun Hye who played Shin Chae Kyeong in a drama few years ago called 'Princess hours'. She was an ordinary teenager who suddenly heppen to marry to the prince and becomes young queen.
 
 
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
Yoon Eun Hye wore lots of different Hanbok in both traditional and fushion style, and was soooo lovely!!!! The drama aired in Jan 2006 but never looks old-fashioned even if watched now. I'll post about the drama and her beautiful clothing next time!
 
 
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
I once posted about my previous visit to Kyeongbokgung palace wearing Hanbok!
(it is listed on the very beginning of the postings! Go and look for it~)
 
 
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
I met foreign king and his beautiful friends as well~
We took a photo at the entrance of Kyeongbokgung! Yeah~
It is now really popular wearing Hanbok and visiting Kyeongbokgung or the traditional neighbors around the place and you can easily find many rental shops to try it!
 
 
 
 
 
Charye; ancestral ritual
 (ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
 On both New Year and Thanksgiving, Koreans perform an ancestral ritual called 'Charye'. It is a memorial service for ancestors which the custom is being faded recently. When various foods are arranged on the table, the men in the family begin to perform ancestral worship rituals while clad in Hanbok.
 
Korenas were based on buddhism and some Christian families may skip Charye which is depending on religions. At almost every families, women are in charge of preparing foods while men do the process of memorial service so for women, the holidays can never be real holidays... I used to help my mom preparing the foods and it is tons of work.
 
 
 
 
 
New Year Foods;
 
1) Tteokguk
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
Tteokguk, sliced rice cake soup, is a traditional Korean dish Koreans eat during the celebration of the Korean New Year. The dish consists of soup (guk) with sliced rice cakes (tteok) as well as some sliced garnishes such as egg, meat, green onion, and seaweed. Koreans have been valued the combination of color so we put the colorful garnishes like that (same to Bibimbap that has several colors in~)
 
 
 2) Tteok mandu guk
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
If you put dumpling in Tteokguk, that is called Tteok mandu guk. Mandu is dumpling in Korean~ It is different depending on the families.
 
 3) Jeon
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
Then we have Jeon is a dish made by seasoning whole, sliced, or minced fish, meat, vegetables, etc coating them with wheat flour and egg wash before frying them in oil. It may not be that difficult to make however definitely become harder when preparing lots of amount for gathered familes on the holidays.
 
 
 
 
 
Yutnori
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
Yutnori (Yunnori) is a traditional board game played in Korea using four yuts (yut sticks) and mal-pan (board). I do not think many Koreans now would play this game since I don't even have a memory of playing this game however many Koreans still know the name and how to play it as well~ If you are interested in Korean TV, you could also see celebrities playing the game for New Year Show.
 
 
 
 
ST's New Year Schedule!
(ST Plastic Surgery Clinic, Korea)
 
Since the big holiday is coming, check out our clinic's schedule in advance of your visit to ST! For any questions? Contact the number very below and you can speak to me in English!
 
 
 
 
 





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