Exploring Seollal: South Korea's Traditional New Year
Seollal marks the beginning of the Korean lunisolar calendar with three days of national celebration. Millions of people travel across the country to visit their families and honor their ancestors. This vital holiday preserves age-old customs, traditional foods, and generational bonds.
History
The historical roots of Seollal appear in early Chinese historical texts such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms, which documented ancient celebratory rituals in Buyeo and Silla. During the Japanese colonial period, authorities banned the traditional lunisolar celebration in favor of the Gregorian New Year, designating Seollal as an unofficial 'gujeong'. Following decades of cultural suppression, the South Korean government officially reinstated Seollal as a national holiday in 1989, restoring public recognition of this foundational cultural event.
Traditions & Food
Families observe Seollal by wearing traditional attire called hanbok and gathering to perform charye, an ancestral ritual honoring forebears. Younger family members offer a formal deep bow called sebae to elders, receiving monetary gifts and words of wisdom in return. The culinary centerpiece of the holiday is tteokguk, a sliced rice cake soup consumed to symbolize officially growing one year older.
Closures & Travel
As one of the most significant family holidays, Seollal triggers massive nationwide migration as tens of millions of citizens travel to their hometowns. Transportation networks experience peak congestion, and highway traffic builds significantly throughout the three-day holiday period. Most commercial businesses, banks, and offices close while families spend quality time together.
Questions about Korean New Year
When is Seollal celebrated?
Seollal falls on the first day of the Korean lunisolar calendar, usually occurring in January or February of the Gregorian calendar.
What is eaten during Korean New Year?
The traditional dish eaten during Seollal is tteokguk, a sliced rice cake soup that symbolizes gaining a year of age.