Seolnal
설날
The Korean New Year takes place on the first day of the Lunar Calendar (hence also being called the Lunar New Year), as opposed to the first of the Gregorian calendar, which is January 1st. In Korea, it is known as Seollal or Seolnal and it is regarded as being the most important of the traditional Korean holidays. As such, it is one of two national holidays in which people receive three days off, with Chuseok, the Harvest Moon Festival, being the other one. During the holiday, large cities are practically deserted as people return to their ancestral hometowns and places of birth to spend the holiday with their family.
Charye
Charye, an ancestral ritual, is a form of memorial service for ancestors which involves a ritualized system of displaying and consuming food that typically occurs at the eldest son's house. During Charye, as it is a form of jesa, food is presented before a shrine to the ancestors, after which the family respectfully bows and pays their respects, something known as sang-myo. Afterward, the food is consumed to symbolize the receiving of the blessings that they have been given.
Food is generally presented on the ritual table is a specific way. Red food and meat are placed on the left while white food and fish is placed on the right. The tops of fruits were also cut off because it was thought that doing so would help the ancestors access the inside of it more easily.
Although the ritual is still performed by numerous families throughout Korea, many Christian families refuse to perform it because it is seen as a form of ancestor worship. Regardless, many families perform it, not as a way of worshiping their ancestors, but merely as a way to respect the dead.
Sebae
During sebae, children perform a deep bow to their parents and grandparents and say "saehae bok manhi badeuseyo", which translates to "may you receive many blessings in the new year", and then receive money, sebaedon (literally 'bowing money'), along with words of advice and wisdom, known as deokdam. Historically, children received rice cakes and fruit in place of money. The act hearkens back to Confucianism origins and the idea of filial piety. The concept of sebae, that is, the bowing and the receiving of money, is that it will create a balance of respect between the youth and the elders.
Games
During the holiday, people come together with their families and play traditional games. Amongst these are jegi chagi, kite flying, yut, and nol-ttwigi. Jegi chagi is played with a small object wrapped in cloth being essentially kicked around, much like people play hacky sack today. Kites, which were traditionally made with bamboo and Korean paper, were flown with the aim to bring down the kites of other people. Nol-ttwigi was generally played by young girls. They would stand on a seesaw and jump on it in order to get the other person high in the air.
Yut is probably one of the more popular games to play on Seolnal. It is akin to a board game where the aim is to be the first one to travel all the way around the board, with sticks essentially acting as dice. Instructions on how to play yut can be found below.
How to Play Yutnori
Other Traditions
Other traditions are also observed during the three day holiday. For example, the traditional meal during these days, generally eaten at the beginning of the day, is tteokguk, which is rice cake soup. Children are told that if they do not eat it, they will not age in the new year. People also wear hanbok, traditional Korean clothing, or new clothes. Regardless of what they wear, it is referred to as seolbim. Between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, people clean their houses and take a bath, followed by burning bamboo sticks to ward off evil spirits. People also travel to Gangneung and Donghae in the Gangwon Province to the east in order to see the first rays of the new year's sun, or to the Jongno district in order to witness the ringing of the bell in the Bosingak Pavilion to welcome the new year.
Some parts of Korea also celebrate the new year with a ritual referred to as Jishin Balpgi, which means "stepping on the spirit of the earth". The festival is meant to cleanse the town and chase away evil spirits with the sounds of drums. A group of Korean drum players travels around the town, stopping at people's houses in order to wish them peace and prosperity in the new year, generally gaining wine and rice cakes in return.
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