In the Republic of Korea, there are many national holidays that the people of this country love and honor. The history of some began many centuries ago, while others - more recently. Each celebration has its own traditions and customs, which are observed with awe by the people of this magnificent country.
National Korean Holidays and Dates
The most important celebrations of the country are in autumn and winter. During all official holidays, the government provides the public with days off. But this happens if the triumph is state, not religious.
The main holidays of the Koreans:
- Chuseok - 14, 15, 16 days of the eighth lunar month.
- Christmas is December 25th.
- New Year and Sollal - January 1 and the first day of the lunar calendar.
- Independence Movement Day - March 1.
- Memorial Day - July 6th.
Of all the celebrations in the country, the most important and revered are the Korean New Year and the Chuseok holiday. Officially, they are considered weekends and last for three days. All this time, local residents organize theatrical performances, performances and festivals, honor the traditions of the 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 full moon day. The autumn celebration in honor of the harvest is eagerly awaited by all the inhabitants of the country and specially come to the homes of their parents to meet him together. The Korean holiday of Chuseok is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, and only lasts three days. At this celebration, people express their gratitude to the earth for its generosity.
At the Korean harvest festival, all relatives and close people gather, they cook together the country's national dishes. But the most important ritual in this significant day is visiting the graves of their ancestors and chanting them throughout the feast. Also at the autumn celebration, sacrifices and traditional round dances are arranged.
Older generations, unlike young people, have a special trepidation about the Korean harvest festival. They observe absolutely all its traditions, even despite the fact that many centuries have passed since the foundation of this celebration. So, many centuries ago on this day it was customary to put on a new hanbok (a festive outfit of Koreans), but the younger generation changed it to ordinary clothes.
National dishes in Chuseok and veneration of ancestors
All festive 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 no more than one year.
It is also necessary to prepare in advance bread from rice dough. Koreans call them Songpyeong and cook with the whole family on the eve of the holiday. You can add sweet beans or sesame to rice bread. Obligatory to cooking are also considered Jeong cakes. They are baked from rice dough with slices of different 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 a meal, Koreans without fail come to the graves of their ancestors, hold ceremonies there, including the presentation of refreshments (ritual of sonymyu). 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 plays everywhere, and cafes and restaurants are full of unusual dishes and drinks.
On the eve of this Korean holiday, various festivals and theatrical performances are held in parks and city squares. Most often, people celebrate Christmas in the family circle, being at home. The main dish of the feast is a festive pie with a variety of fillings of meat, fish with spices and legumes.
New Year
Like in China, this holiday is celebrated in Korea twice a year: according to the solar and lunar calendar. Such celebrations immerse the country in a winter fairy tale thanks to its colorful performances. The Korean people celebrate the first New Year, like most other countries, on January 1. And the traditional celebration of Sollal falls only in February. There, having visited the Republic of Korea during these two months, you can fully feel the whole atmosphere of the holiday of this country and admire its beauties.
They celebrate 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 comply with traditions, people go to the roofs, porches 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 celebrations are held without frost and strong winds.
Holiday features
It is surprising that Koreans begin to decorate streets and houses from the beginning of December, almost a month before Christmas, and they remove all this only in February, after Sollal. For two and a half months the country has an atmosphere of celebration, magic and a wonderful fairy tale, which anyone can get into.
To the celebration in Korea, by tradition, the population launches numerous paper kites. Such an action is able to captivate any tourist with its beauty and unusualness. Also on this Korean holiday, many traditional rice dishes are prepared. One of them is the flow. This is a Korean national sweet dessert that every guest must eat, since, according to popular belief, such a treat attracts good luck and happiness.
National Celebration - Sollal
Korean New Year officially locals celebrate three days. But earlier the holiday lasted longer, from the new moon to the full moon, in general 15 days. By tradition, the New Year celebration is celebrated in the family circle, with many national dishes and drinks: these are Korean dumplings, rice wine, ttok. And also porridge from five crops.
In addition, the festive table should be attended by: stockfish, Korean sweets and fruits. On New Year's Eve, the house is decorated with images of a tiger and chicken. According to legend, these animals attract well-being, happiness and scare away evil.
It is also customary to put on national clothes for the holiday and give gifts to relatives, friends, colleagues and acquaintances. The most common are money and products. You can give festive food and sweets.
Independence Movement Day
Samiljol is considered a public holiday, which is 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. Korean people go to the square with the flags of their state. Also at this festival concerts, theatricalities, 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 is revered - Yu Gwang Song. The girl fought until the last for the future of her country. She initiated uprisings against Japanese totalitarianism. The girl died in torment due to the torture of the invaders and was subsequently recognized as a national heroine. Yu Gwang Song was only 17 years old.
