Language/Korean/Culture/Korean-Holidays

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Korean Culture → Korean Culture and Customs → Korean Holidays

As your Korean language teacher with 20 years of experience, I want to share with you some knowledge about Korean Holidays. In this lesson, we will be discussing the major Korean Holidays, the customs and traditions that are associated with each, and how they are celebrated.

Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: Korean Etiquette & Korean National Parks.

Traditional Korean Holidays

Korean holidays are based on the lunar calendar, which means that the dates of the holidays vary each year. The most popular Korean holidays are:

Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year is known as "Seollal" in Korean. It usually falls in late January or early February. It is one of the most important holidays in Korea and is celebrated over three days. Families gather to pay their respects to their ancestors, eat traditional foods, play games, and wear traditional clothing. During the holiday, Koreans also exchange gifts, which are usually in the form of money in an envelope.

Here is a table of some Korean foods that are typically eaten during Lunar New Year:

Korean	Pronunciation	English
tteokguk	tteokguk	rice cake soup
jeon	jeon	Korean pancake
japchae	japchae	stir-fried glass noodles and vegetables

Chuseok

Chuseok, also known as Korean Thanksgiving, is another important Korean holiday that celebrates the autumn harvest. It is usually celebrated in September or October and is a three-day holiday. During this time, families pay their respects to their ancestors, visit their hometowns, and eat traditional foods like songpyeon, a type of rice cake, and fresh fruits.

In addition, Koreans perform a traditional dance called "Ganggangsullae" during Chuseok. It is a circle dance performed under the full moon, symbolizing the unity and harmony of the community.

Here is a table of some Korean foods that are typically eaten during Chuseok:

Korean	Pronunciation	English
songpyeon	songpyeon	half-moon shaped rice cakes
japchae	japchae	stir-fried glass noodles and vegetables
galbi	galbi	marinated beef short ribs

Buddha's Birthday

Buddha's Birthday, also known as "Seokga tansinil", is the celebration of the birth of the Buddha. It is usually celebrated in May and is a public holiday in Korea. During this holiday, people visit Buddhist temples and participate in traditional ceremonies. Koreans also make and eat "baeksuk", which is a steamed chicken dish.

Here is a table of some Korean foods that are typically eaten during Buddha's Birthday:

Korean	Pronunciation	English
baeksuk	baeksuk	steamed chicken
lotus lanterns	yeonhwagyeongbul	colorful lanterns made in the shape of lotus flowers
bibimbap	bibimbap	mixed rice with vegetables and meat

Conclusion

In this lesson, we learned about some of the major Korean holidays and their customs and traditions. It is important to understand the history and celebrate these holidays to not only keep the culture alive but also to embrace the values it represents. Understanding and celebrating Korean traditions will also help you build stronger relationships with Koreans and help you better appreciate their culture.

Sources:

Now that you've completed this lesson, don't stop learning! Check out these related topics: South Korea Timeline & Korean Cinema.

Table of Contents - Korean Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

Korean Alphabets

Greetings and Introductions

Korean Culture and Customs

Sentence Building

Daily Routine

Korean Pop Culture

Describing People and Things

Food and Drinks

Korean Traditions

Verb Tenses

Travel and Sightseeing

Korean Arts and Crafts

Conjunctions and Connectors

Health and Body

Korean Nature

Videos

Learn Korean Holidays - Christmas - YouTube

Korean Language & Culture Series(Ep.5: Korean Holidays) - YouTube

Learn Korean Holidays - Independence Movement Day - YouTube

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