Seollal: Korean Lunar New Year

Seollal (설날) is the Korean Lunar New Year and Korea's most important traditional holiday. It is a three-day public holiday that includes the day before, the day of, and the day after the Lunar New Year.

The date changes each year as it follows the lunar calendar, typically falling between late January and mid-February.

Seollal is a time when Koreans return to their hometowns to reunite with family, honor ancestors through memorial rites (차례, charye), and perform the traditional New Year bow (세배, sebae) to elders. It's one of the two major holidays that causes a massive nationwide migration as people travel to be with their families.

Seollal has been celebrated on the Korean peninsula for over two thousand years, with roots in ancient agricultural societies that marked the beginning of the new planting season.

During the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945), the celebration of Seollal was suppressed as part of efforts to eliminate Korean cultural practices. Koreans were forced to celebrate the Western New Year instead.

After Korea's liberation in 1945 and especially after the Korean War, Seollal traditions were gradually revived. In 1985, Seollal was officially reinstated as a public holiday in South Korea, initially as a one-day holiday called "Folk Day" (민속의 날).

In 1989, the holiday was expanded to three days, recognizing the time needed for families to travel across the country and properly observe the traditional rituals. Today, Seollal is celebrated with equal importance to Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) as the two major traditional holidays.

Charye (차례) - Ancestral Memorial Rites: On the morning of Seollal, families prepare an elaborate table of food offerings and perform charye to honor their ancestors. The ritual involves bowing and offering food and drink to the spirits of deceased family members.

Sebae (세배) - New Year's Bow: Children and younger family members perform a deep traditional bow (큰절, keunjeol) to their elders. In return, elders give words of blessing and "sebaetdon" (세뱃돈) - money in decorated envelopes.

Tteokguk (떡국) - Rice Cake Soup: Eating this traditional soup on Seollal morning symbolizes gaining a year of age. It's made with sliced rice cakes in beef broth. The white color symbolizes purity and a fresh start.

Hanbok (한복): Many Koreans wear traditional Korean clothing, especially during the morning rituals and family gatherings.

Yutnori (윷놀이): This traditional board game is played by families during the holiday. Teams throw wooden sticks and move pieces around a board.

Jeon (전) and Holiday Food: Families prepare various savory pancakes (jeon), grilled meat, japchae (glass noodles), and an array of traditional dishes.