Korea's Real New Year's Day, Seollal

It's been three years since I came to Korea. There is one day in the year that made me fall in love with this new country. New Year's Day in Korea is very different from watching the ball drop in New York City's Times Square on New Year's Eve or watching the Rose Parade. Koreans begin each new year with the bell sounds coming from the Boshin-Gang bell pavilion. There is only one New Year's Day in other countries, but in Korea? There's a second New Year's Day. It's called Seollal or the Lunar New Year's Day. This is a holiday that is more than just a day off. It's a day with a story behind it. Shall we find out the history behind Seollal? Garae-tteok is a kind of rice cake made by kneading steamed rice flour dough and forming it into long narrow cylinders. Garae-tteok is the main ingredient in tteokguk or tteok soup, the Korean food typically served on Seollal. In Korea, everyone prepares for Seollal by making or buying this white rice cake. Garae-tteok is made in long strips to symbolize the hope for long healthy lives for the whole family. Korea's Seollal has a long history. It was recorded in the 13th century in memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms that in 488, King Sojik, the 21st King of Silla, admonished his people to hold memorial services and be circumspect in their actions and thoughts on this day. Traditionally, Seollal is a day when people take time out from their daily routine to pay homage to their ancestors. On Seollal, many people travel to their hometown to be with their families. Despite the heavy traffic, everyone is filled with anticipation. Most people take home gifts for their families and friends on Seollal, and department stores and markets enjoy a brisk business. There is an interesting tradition on the eve of Seollal. Many people bring their shoes inside before going to bed to prevent them from being stolen by restless spirits. When at last it's Seollal, the true New Year's Day, everyone wears special clothes called seoltim, meaning new clothes. Generally, they are hanbok, Korea's traditional costume. Koreans hold memorial ceremonies, or chaesa, for their ancestors on the anniversary of their death. On holidays, they perform ancestral rites, or charye, which look similar to memorial ceremonies but have a different objective, to give thanks to the ancestors. The table setting for the ancestral rites on Seollal includes tteokguk made with sliced garetteok to symbolize long life, as well as fruits that have been stored through the winter, pan-fried foods first dipped in flour and egg, and grilled beef and vegetables on skewers. Traditionally, people dedicated these rites to four generations of ancestors. The ancestral rites of Seollal are a beautiful ritual that offers a glimpse into the Korean virtue of filial piety. After the ancestral rites, there is a tradition called eumbok. Everyone is encouraged to participate because drinking the liquor we had served to our ancestors helps us to share in our ancestors' virtue. The eumbok tradition brings much luck and virtue in the New Year. But make sure to drink in moderation so you don't get drunk. People, all dressed up in their holiday seolbim, bow deeply to their elders. This tradition is called saebae. The saebae expresses respect and wishes for help for those elders who are still with us. The elders who receive the saebae show their thanks by giving New Year's wishes and pocket money. For the children, having many adults in the family can prove quite lucrative on Seollal. Bokjori is another symbol of the wish for good luck in the New Year. Jori are sieves used when washing rice. It is said that hanging a straw bokjori filters out bad luck and brings in only good luck throughout the year. This is why when people buy bokjori, no one tries to haggle over the price. After the ancestral rites and saebae on Seollal, families go out together to visit old palaces, museums, or amusement parks. Many are free and there are a lot of special events to make Seollal even more enjoyable. Some families use the extended holiday to go on a trip. Koreans play a variety of traditional games on Seollal. Jegichagi is an easy game which can be enjoyed by anyone. It's a competition to see who can keep kicking the shuttlecock up in the air the longest. Yunnori, a traditional board game in which four oblong sticks act like dice, is won by moving stones around the board the fastest. Yunnori, which is played together with family and friends, is more fun with more people. There's yet another delight waiting on Seollal, kite flying or yeonmalligi. People compete to see who can fly their kite the highest or the farthest and have kite fights. It is said that people can get rid of all their bad luck by writing their name on a kite and letting it fly high into the sky. At first glance, Seollal just seems like a day of work. But a closer look reveals that Seollal is a precious holiday to spend with family and friends, to eat together, and to wish each other a great New Year. I'm already excited about the next New Year.