Year of the Ox

Traditional Chinese paper cutting

Throughout Asia, January 26 marked an important day on the calendar—Lunar New Year.  In Korea, Lunar New Year, or Seollal, is the largest and most important holiday.  For three days, including the day before and after the 26th, families visited each other and shared in traditional food, games, and customs; leaving the city quiet and abandoned.    

In preparation for the big day, stores are flooded with anxious shoppers trying to collect the last remaining gifts for their families.  Fresh meat, fish, fruit, and snacks are typical options, but as I found out after a visit to the grocery store, Koreans love gift baskets and boxes.  An array of choices were available including a dental hygiene box filled with toothpaste, toothbrushes, and floss; a hair care box of mostly industrial-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner; and my favorite, the SPAM box, filled with cans of the suspicious mystery meat.

The day before Lunar New Year, Korean highways turn into a parking lot of stationary vehicles. With many of the older generations living outside the city, a mad exodus occurs leaving Seoul unusually quiet and desolate.  Train reservations are made months in advance, and last minute domestic flights are unattainable.  A trip into Seoul during those few days gave Andrea and I the upper-hand at securing a seat on the subway; however, once in Seoul we found many things—including the restaurant where we planned to eat—closed.

On the morning of Seollal, everyone wakes up early and dresses in the traditional hanbok. Once all together, Koreans perform many traditional customs and rites in honor of their ancestors. Some have been modified due to modernization, but almost all are still practiced today. After the rituals are finished, the family enjoys a feast similar in anticipation to Thanksgiving.

Tteokguk (rick cake soup)

Traditionally, the elder son's wife prepared all of the food during the holiday celebrations; and was judged on not only the taste, but also the presentation. However, it is becoming more widely accepted for other female members of the household to chip in and bring a few dishes. Of course, an attempt at rounding up the men for help in the kitchen is still underway.  The most popular Lunar New Year dish is tteokguk, or rice cake soup.  Comprised of broth/soup (guk) and thinly sliced rice (tteok), tteokguk is believed to bring the consumer good luck and add one year to his/her age.  Consequently, Koreans believe they are one year older than their actual "western" age.  In addition to tteokguk, families also enjoy wild vegetables, Korean style pancakes, galbijjim (rib stew), and japchae (noodles with meat and vegetables).  

After the meal is finished, children complete the rituals by bowing to their elders.  In return, the older generations offer them well-wishes (for example, "have a healthy year" or "meet someone nice") and then present them with gifts and money.  The rest of the holiday is spent playing traditional games (yut nori, Gostop), and spending quality time with the family. Eventually, after the new year comes to a close, people flood back into the city and my seat on the subway is no longer guaranteed.  However, I've become accustomed to the crowds of people and feel very much alone without them so... Welcome back, Koreans. 

Girl's Generation, a Koran girl band, in traditional hanbok dress.

SS501, a Korean boy band, in traditional hanbok clothing.

Oh, SS501... Korean cute.

Hanbok photos courtesy of http://blog.360.yahoo.com