Korean New Year 2022: Known as Seollal, Korean New Year is the first day of the lunar Korean calendar. It is the most important of the traditional Korean holidays. It consists of a period of celebrations, starting on New Year’s Day.
For the year 2022, Korean New Year falls on 1st February. The Korean New Year holidays last three days.
It is customary and may be required under collective bargaining agreements for South Korean businesses to close for the lunar new year.
In South Korea, the festival centres on family reunions, food and placating the ancestors.
During the New Year festivities, it is common for adults to wear the colourful traditional costume, the Hanbok.
Traditional women’s hanbok consists of a blouse shirt or a jacket and chima, a wrap-around skirt, which is usually worn full. Men’s hanbok consists of a shirt and baji which means pants in Korea.
History Of Korean New Year
Seollal celebrations scripted in the Book of Sui and the Book of Tang, are early recorded histories of The Silla Kingdom. Seollal is a unique Korean tradition, influenced by China, and is based on the lunar cycle.
Korea’s own record of the new year celebration that was compiled in the 13th century is found in ‘Samguk yusa’ i.e Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms. In Korean culture, each year represents an animal from the set of 12 animals which are mouse, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.
The order of the animals is thought to have been based on the sequence in which they were invited to see Buddha.
New Year’s Eve
Celebrations on New Year’s Eve in Korea are similar to the western traditions such as parties and fireworks. A recent tradition is the ringing of the historic Boshingak Bell. The bell was originally constructed in 1396 and is now only rung on Lunar New Year.
Another New Year’s Eve custom is playing Yunnori, a traditional board game.
Korean New Year Celebrations
While Christmas in Korea is usually a time for celebrating with friends or for going on dates; Seollal, like Chuseok, is more of a family-based celebration.
Many Koreans travel back to their family homes during this period.
As a result, roads will be very busy during this time of year. Additionally, train, buts, and airplane tickets will either be sold out or very expensive.
If you plan to come to Korea during Seollal, make sure you get a head start and book in advance!
