Koreans celebrate Lunar New Year, or Seollal, with ancestor rites, deep bows, special foods, and family games spread across a three-day holiday.
What Is Seollal In Korea?
Seollal is the first day of the Korean lunisolar calendar and one of the biggest family holidays of the year. The official break usually lasts three days, so people can travel back to their hometowns, prepare rites for ancestors, and relax with relatives. Streets in big cities feel quieter while bus terminals and train stations stay packed before the holiday.
On Seollal morning many households begin the day with an ancestral memorial rite known as charye. A table is set with carefully arranged dishes, and family members bow together to honor earlier generations. Government pages list Seollal alongside Buddha’s Birthday and Chuseok as a major national holiday, which shows how central it is to the Korean calendar.
| Seollal Element | What It Involves | When It Happens |
|---|---|---|
| Pre Holiday Travel | People leave big cities and head to their family hometown, often facing heavy traffic on highways. | Day before Seollal |
| House Cleaning | Families tidy and dust their homes so the new year starts in a fresh, orderly space. | Days before Seollal |
| Charye Rite | A memorial table of food is prepared and the family bows in front of ancestral tablets or photos. | Morning of Seollal |
| Sebae Bow | Younger relatives perform a deep New Year’s bow to elders while saying formal New Year wishes. | After charye |
| New Year Food | Everyone shares dishes such as tteokguk rice cake soup, jeon pancakes, and braised meat. | Late morning and lunchtime |
| Folk Games | Relatives gather for board games like yut nori or outdoor activities when the weather allows. | Afternoon of Seollal |
| Visits And Outings | Some families visit graves, palaces, or folk villages, while others rest at home. | Afternoon and next days |
How Koreans Celebrate Lunar New Year Traditions At Home
If you are curious about how do koreans celebrate lunar new year?, the first answer lies inside the home. Most families gather at the house of the oldest generation, often grandparents who still live in the ancestral hometown. Relatives arrive the night before or early on Seollal morning carrying gifts, fruit boxes, or rice cakes.
Women and men share kitchen work, though old habits still shape who handles which tasks. Vegetables are washed and sliced, jeon batter is mixed, meat is marinated, and the stock for rice cake soup simmers on the stove. Children run between rooms while adults finish cooking and arranging the memorial table.
During charye, everyone dresses neatly and lines up by age. The table might include tteokguk, grilled fish, meat dishes, fruit, rice, and drinks. Order on the table follows rules passed down through the family, such as placing fish pointing east or grouping similar fruits together. After several formal bows and a short moment of silence, the rite ends and the family shares the food.
How Do Koreans Celebrate Lunar New Year? Rituals Step By Step
To see daily life on Seollal, it helps to walk through the day in order. While every household has its own habits, the overall pattern stays surprisingly similar across the country.
Wearing Hanbok Or Fresh Clothes
Many people start the morning in hanbok, the traditional Korean outfit, especially during the formal parts of the day. Children wear bright colors and matching vests, while adults choose softer tones. Others prefer new Western style outfits that still feel special. Photos are taken before the rite so everyone looks tidy.
Performing The New Year Bow
After the meal prepared for the ancestors, younger relatives perform sebae, a deep bow to parents, grandparents, and older uncles or aunts. Men kneel and bend forward until hands and forehead touch the floor, while women kneel with their hands in front of their head in a graceful pose. During the bow, they say saehae bok mani badeuseyo, which means “please receive a lot of luck in the new year.”
When the bow ends, elders share short speeches of advice and blessing. They may hand out sebaetdon, small envelopes of money, to children and teenagers. The amount varies by family, but the message is the same: grow well, stay healthy, and study or work with care in the coming year.
Sharing Tteokguk And Other Holiday Dishes
No description of how do koreans celebrate lunar new year? feels complete without tteokguk. This hot soup of sliced rice cakes in clear broth appears in nearly every description of Seollal. Many Koreans say you turn one year older only after finishing your bowl of tteokguk, so adults may joke with children about how many bowls they eat.
Along with the soup, households serve jeon savory pancakes, japchae glass noodles, braised short ribs, and various side dishes prepared the day before. Regional twists appear too, such as adding dumplings to the soup in some areas. Official guides from the Korea Tourism Organization describe these dishes as a core part of the holiday table.
Traditional Foods On Korean Lunar New Year
Food shapes the rhythm of the holiday as much as the rites. Certain tastes and colors stand for hopes in the new year, and these meanings stay surprisingly consistent even in modern apartments far from ancestral villages.
Tteokguk Rice Cake Soup
Tteokguk uses thin white rice cakes in clear broth, often made with beef or anchovy stock. The white color suggests a clean beginning, and the round slices hint at coins and prosperity. The Korea Tourism Organization notes that one bowl also marks gaining a year in age at Seollal.
Jeon, Japchae, And Side Dishes
Jeon pancakes appear in many forms, from slices of meat or fish dipped in batter to green onion pancakes or vegetable mixes. They are ideal for sharing at a crowded table and taste even better with a small dish of soy sauce. Japchae glass noodles stir fried with vegetables and sometimes beef bring a light, slightly sweet contrast to the hearty soup.
Sweets, Snacks, And Holiday Drinks
After the main meal, the table shifts to snacks. Rice crackers, honey cookies, seasonal fruits, and sweet drinks move within reach as people sit down for games. Traditional rice wine or mild fruit wines may be served to adults, though many households now keep drinks simple with tea, coffee, or soft drinks for all ages.
Games, Outings, And Modern Twists
Once formal duties finish, attention turns to play. Yut nori, a wooden stick board game, remains a favorite. Players throw four sticks marked on one side, then move their tokens around the board depending on which sides land face up. Teams form quickly, cheers fill the room, and even quiet relatives join the action. Rules stay simple, so even first time players can join with ease.
Many cities hold special events at palaces and museums, so some families head outdoors. The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s page on Korea’s four major national holidays notes Seollal programs where visitors can try folk games, take photos in hanbok, and watch performances. Travelers who stay in Seoul during Seollal can join these public events even if they do not have relatives in the country.
| Activity | What You Do | Best Time During Seollal |
|---|---|---|
| Yut Nori Board Game | Throw four wooden sticks and move tokens around a square board in teams or pairs. | Afternoon or evening with family |
| Jegichagi | Kick a small shuttlecock with the side of your foot and count how long you keep it in the air. | Anytime, in an open space |
| Palace Events | Visit royal palaces that host New Year programs, photo zones, and simple folk activities. | Daytime on Seollal or nearby days |
| Grave Visits | Some families visit ancestral graves to clean the area and bow. | Morning or early afternoon |
| TV Specials | Watch holiday music and comedy programs with snacks and tea. | Evening at home |
| Cafe Or Cinema Trip | Younger relatives may meet friends for coffee, a film, or shopping once family duties end. | Later in the holiday period |
| Online Calls Abroad | Families with members overseas arrange video calls to exchange bows and New Year wishes. | Any time that fits time zones |
Korean Lunar New Year In Modern City Life
City life adds new layers to Korean Lunar New Year. Many younger Seoul residents spend part of the holiday driving or riding trains to visit grandparents, then return early to enjoy quiet streets with friends. Cafes, cinemas, and some restaurants remain open, so the mood balances family duty with relaxed outings.
Some households skip full charye rites and hold a simpler memorial with a small table and a short bow, especially when relatives are scattered across regions. Others combine visits over video call with smaller groups in person. Still, even in apartments filled with digital devices, tteokguk, some sort of bow, and kind wishes between generations almost always appear.
Tips For Joining A Korean Lunar New Year Celebration
If you receive an invitation to Seollal, a little preparation helps you feel comfortable and respectful. A modest gift such as quality fruit, snacks, or coffee beans is well received. Dress neatly, bring socks in case shoes are removed indoors, and follow the lead of your host when it comes to bowing or saying New Year phrases.
When the family performs sebae, keep your posture low and your movements calm. You do not need perfect form; effort and sincerity matter more. When elders hand you food or drinks, accept with both hands as a sign of respect. If you receive sebaetdon, thank the giver with a small bow or nod. Guests often leave with full bellies, stronger ties to their hosts, and a clearer picture of Seollal.