Korean New Year: Seollal
Alice Ko
Folsom Lake College
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Korean New Year: Seollal
I.
Introduction
A. Opening
1. When we think about new years in America, we tend to think about new
beginnings, resolutions, spending time with friends and family, and
fireworks, but in Korea, it’s a little bit different.
B. Background
1. Seollal is one of the most important traditional Korean holidays in Korean
culture.
2. It celebrates the first day of the Korean Lunar Calendar.
3. It takes place over several days, not just one day.
C. Main Points/Thesis
1. It is distinguished from other holidays by the gathering of family
members, historical Korean rituals, eating traditional foods, playing
traditional games, and other traditions.
D. End of introduction/transition to main points/body
1. While the Lunar New Year is celebrated in countries across Asia, each
country has its own way of celebrating the event.
2. Korean Lunar New Year also has its own unique customs and traditions.
II.
Body
A. First, the history and origins of Seollal is important to know how it began.
1. Influenced by China, Korean new year celebration began as a way to
honor ancestor spirits and bring in a bountiful harvest for that year.
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a) NationalToday.com mentions that each Lunar New Year is
represented by an animal that cycles every 12 years (National
Today, 2024, History of Korean New Year).
b) These historical traditions were carried out throughout generations,
adjusted to modern times with the same essence.
c) According to 90daykorean, the festival has a background of
Korean folklore and uses the lunar calendar (90 Day Korean, 2024,
Historical Origins of Seollal).
B. When is the Korean Lunar New Year?
1. Seollal falls on the first day of the Lunar New Year calendar, which is the
calendar Asian countries follow.
a) It usually falls somewhere in the end of January or the beginning
of February on the Western/solar calendar.
C. Probably the biggest part of this celebration consists of all the traditions.
1. According to Visit Korea, Seollal is more of a family-based celebration
(Visit Korea, 2024, Before Seollal: Busy with preparations!).
a) Although usually the cities of Korea are very busy, on this day it
can be quiet because everyone is at home with their family.
b) Many Koreans travel back to their family homes during this
period.
2. First, sebae is a very important Seollal tradition because it reveres the
elders.
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a) Sebae is when younger family members bow on the floor to their
elders and wish them a happy new year, which signifies respect
and honor.
b) Elders usually reward them with money in an envelope.
3. The hanbok is a traditional clothing in Korea that they used to wear long
ago, which can be worn whilst performing sebae.
a) This is done as a way to honor their heritage and is done more for
new year festival events.
b) This isn’t done as often nowadays, but the hanbok is still an
important part of many traditional events in Korea such as
weddings and funerals.
4. Another important traditional act is charye, which is the act of showing
respect to the family’s deceased ancestors.
a) Traditional food and fruits are usually set out on a table as a gift
for the ancestors.
b) People will also bow to their ancestors during this time.
5. Next, games are another aspect of the celebration.
a) Just like how in America, some families will often play board
games at Christmas, Korean families sometimes play traditional
games together during Seollal.
b) Probably the most notable game is yunnori.
c) This traditional board game is played between two teams and there
are 4 sticks, where each stick has a curved side and a flat side.
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d) Teams take turns throwing the four sticks in the air, kind of like
rolling dice. The side each stick lands on determines how the
players move around the game board.
e) There are usually prizes for winners.
6. Lastly, nowadays traditional food is probably the most important aspect of
the Korean New Year.
a) Many families nowadays may not participate in the other
traditions, but they will all participate in preparing and eating these
traditional foods.
b) The foods include rice cake soup, savory pancakes, Japchae
(stir-fried glass noodles), dumplings, and many side dishes.
c) Tteokguk, or rice cake soup, is the highlight of new years.
d) This traditional soup is made using bone broth, sliced rice cake
(tteok), meat and other garnishes, such as egg and seaweed.
e) Eating Tteokguk is believed to ensure good luck, longevity, wealth,
and prosperity.
f) It’s almost like a prayer for well-being and abundance.
g) For example, at my Korean church, we celebrate new years
together and although we don’t participate in all the new year
traditions, we make sure to always eat this soup together.
h) Another aspect of this soup is that, according to the National
Museum of Asian Arts, eating this soup signifies becoming one
year older (National Today, 2024).
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i) You become a year older on new years instead of on your birthday,
which is why there is a “Korean age” where you are a year older
than your American age.
j) More common foods that are eaten during the Lunar New Year is
전 (jeon), a pancake-like dish that often contains green onions,
meat, or fish.
k) In her article on state.gov, Mihye Seo talks about her family
tradition of making dumplings together during new years, and
many families do this too (Seo, n.d., para. 6).
l) These foods will always be accompanied by a lot of side dishes
like kimchi.
III.
Conclusion
A. Because Seollal shares the same Lunar calendar as other Asian cultures, there are
similarities amongst these cultures for their New Year festivities.
B. However, each culture brings its unique customs, foods, and symbols to the
celebrations. These differences highlight the rich cultural diversity throughout
Asia and the shared importance for tradition and family unity.
C. When I think of Korean New Year, I think about my childhood memories of
celebrating these cultural traditions with my family, and I’m sure many Koreans
do as well.
D. Although many cultures share similar ideas for new years of a new beginning, I
love that Korea’s new year is symbolized by history, unity, hope, respecting
elders, and tradition.
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E. These traditions are very important to Koreans and New Years is definitely one of
the most joyful times of the year.
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References
90 Day Korean. (2024, July 12). Korean Lunar New Year: Everything You Need to Know About Seollal.
https://www.90daykorean.com/korean-lunar-new-year/
Kim, T. (2019, February 11). Lunar New Year: Your birthday too. National Museum of Asian Art.
https://asia.si.edu/whats-on/blog/posts/lunar-new-year-your-birthday-too/
National Today. (2024, March 5). Korean New Year. https://nationaltoday.com/korean-new-year/
Seo, M. (n.d.). Celebrating the Lunar New Year Away From Home. U.S. Department of State.
https://www.state.gov/celebrating-the-lunar-new-year-away-from-home/
Visit Korea. (2024, January 31). Seollal in Korea: A Glimpse of Local Customs.
https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/svc/contents/infoHtmlView.do?vcontsId=188100&menuSn=219