[Korea] Lunar New Years

[Studude67]

Lunar New Years is approaching, im just happy to have the time of work haha but i know it is a very important holiday for Koreans and most go and visit their families. Ill most likely be spending it with me gf, but i was curious what the rest of you are planning on doing? anything special?

[NaughtyKnight]

My girlfriend is Korean, so I had dinner with her, and tried to keep her mind off her family. She hasn't seen any of them for over a year.

[Studude67]

Its cool because i get time off work :P oh and i never thought of recieveing anything :-O i teach english here in Seoul alongside training and one of the parents of kids from my school just bought me 2 bottles of wine haha :-D

[Chimpcheng]

I've never really thought about other cultures celebrating the lunar new year other than my own (I'm a chineser).

It's a huge thing for chinese with mega celebrations including lion dancing, dragon dancing, unicorns, acrobats, kung fu, chinese opera, fire crackers, but most of all food, etc., etc. :D

Tell me, do the Koreans do anything similar or are the chinese unique in that they don lion costumes to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck?

[klaasb]

Hmmmm, ddok mandu kuk

[DaeHanL]

Chonwol Ch'oharu/Sollal - Lunar New Year
On the first day of the new year, Koreans traditionally hold a memorial service for their ancestors, after which they perform sebae, a formal bow of respect, to their elders as a New Year's greeting. The most common food eaten on this day is ttok kuk, or rice cake soup, and it is said that one cannot become a year older if they do not eat ttok kuk on New Year's Day. These days, many people prefer ttok-mandu kuk, which is rice cake soup cooked with dumplings. Other popular foods eaten on Lunar New Year are chapch'ae (noodles with meat and vegetables), yakshik (sweet rice), pindaettok (mung bean pancakes), shik'e (rice punch), and sujonggwa (cinnamon flavoured persimmon punch).

there you go, stolen right off a web site.

[psbn matt]

i should be going up to london to join in with the big celibrations there, it's been getting bigger and bigger each year, and is very enjoyable.

also, last year was the 1st annual korean spring/summer festival, which i hope to go to again, and maybe demo at (if they remember to call me)

[Studude67]

Chonwol Ch'oharu/Sollal - Lunar New Year
On the first day of the new year, Koreans traditionally hold a memorial service for their ancestors, after which they perform sebae, a formal bow of respect, to their elders as a New Year's greeting. The most common food eaten on this day is ttok kuk, or rice cake soup, and it is said that one cannot become a year older if they do not eat ttok kuk on New Year's Day. These days, many people prefer ttok-mandu kuk, which is rice cake soup cooked with dumplings. Other popular foods eaten on Lunar New Year are chapch'ae (noodles with meat and vegetables), yakshik (sweet rice), pindaettok (mung bean pancakes), shik'e (rice punch), and sujonggwa (cinnamon flavoured persimmon punch).

there you go, stolen right off a web site.

That is exactly what my friend said she shall be doing :P oh and i do happen to love 떡만두국 (ttok-mandu kuk).. 진짜 맛있어요 ㅋㅋ

oh and the celebrations in London sound great Matt, you should get some pics if you can get up there!

[DaeHanL]

That is exactly what my friend said she shall be doing :P oh and i do happen to love 떡만두국 (ttok-mandu kuk).. 진짜 맛있어요 ㅋㅋ

oh and the celebrations in London sound great Matt, you should get some pics if you can get up there!

i agree that it is seriously delish! but i prefer it without the dumplings. i don't know what my family is doing. the only thing that isn't fun about new year, now that i'm older, is when i bow and say "Sehe Bokmanee Bateuseyo" i'm the one giving money... T.T

[psbn matt]

btw, what's happy new year in korean?

[DaeHanL]

"Sehe Bokmanee Bateuseyo"

[klaasb]

Saehae bok doon mani juseyo ;)

[DaeHanL]

ha! i copied mine straight from google- :cool:

[klaasb]

Yours means: In the new year receive a lot of luck.

Mine means: Please give me a lot of new years money ;)

[DaeHanL]

dang! looks like my mother has been tricking me all these years. :D i thought you only gave wishes of good luck, but i guess blatantly asking for tton will do the trick. no denying i need to brush up on my hangukmal.

[ember]

I've never really thought about other cultures celebrating the lunar new year other than my own (I'm a chineser).


Actually, Russia has some celebration for it too, though I don't know how much. A few years ago, we had a meeting with them in late January. The meetings always end with chocolates and gifts, and I was given a porcelain piece (one of those white with blue designs) in the shape of a sheep. (The year of the sheep was approaching.) I was told that that was a Russian custom, to make / give away the appropriate symbols at the lunar new year.