I always feel like January 1st comes so quickly on the heels of Christmas, that I am not one to make a big fuss or really go hard in on resolutions. So, it makes sense that a few weeks later, Lunar New Year can feel like the perfect time for a fresh start, celebrated with food and time with your family.
Lunar New Year, or Seollal, is one of the most significant holidays in Korea, steeped in tradition and family values. This year Seollal falls on January 28-30th. 2025 is the year of the Wooden Snake. “The snake is meant to symbolize wisdom, growth and renewal. The snake has the ability to shed its skin, which shows transformation. This is said to make people with the Snake zodiac sign visionaries and good leaders. Paired with the wood element, there’s a sense of grounding within the year. Wood represents strength and growth.”
It is often called Chinese New Year back in the States, but it is not exclusive to China. Other countries that celebrate Lunar New Year are: Korea, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand and Tibet. The holiday in Korea typically spans three days, giving families time to come together and celebrate. Businesses close, the streets are quiet from busy commuters and many families flee the city for extended time away.
The Essence of Seollal – Gratitude & Respect
For Koreans, Lunar New Year is more than just the start of a new lunar calendar; it is a time to honor ancestors, strengthen family bonds, and reflect on the past year. One of the most meaningful aspects of celebrating Lunar New Year in Korea is the ancestral ritual known as charye. Families gather to prepare and present a beautifully arranged table of food to honor their ancestors. This practice is not just about paying respects but also about fostering a sense of gratitude.
Although we don’t typically celebrate Lunar New Year back in the States, I find that it has aligned with my word of the year for 2025, which is gratitude. I’m going to spend purposeful time appreciating the people who have helped me get where I am today and the people who continue to show up in my life, especially when I am not conveniently located to most of them. So more than marking this holiday as a fresh start with lots of goals and plans, I hope to spend it celebrating the past year, that we are all hopefully wiser and better for our efforts.
Traditional Customs and Modern-Day Celebrations
The holiday begins with sebae, a formal bow performed by younger family members to their elders as a sign of respect. In return, the elders give blessings for the upcoming year and often hand out small envelopes of money, known as sebaetdon, to the younger generation. Another beloved tradition is wearing hanbok, Korea’s traditional attire, which adds a touch of historical reverence to the celebrations.
In modern Korea, while traditional customs remain an essential part of Seollal, celebrations have evolved to adapt to contemporary lifestyles. Many families now combine traditional rituals with more casual gatherings, such as dining out or traveling. City-dwellers often take advantage of the long holiday weekend to visit relatives in rural areas or enjoy a short vacation.
What You Eat During Seollal
Food is at the heart of celebrating Lunar New Year in Korea. The Seollal feast is a spread of symbolic dishes. The centerpiece is tteokguk, a savory soup made with sliced rice cakes and often garnished with egg, seaweed, and beef. Eating tteokguk symbolizes gaining a year in age and is considered essential for starting the new year on the right note.
Another popular dish is jeon, savory pancakes made with ingredients like vegetables, seafood, or meat. For dessert, Koreans enjoy yaksik, a sweet rice dish made with chestnuts, jujubes, and pine nuts, often flavored with soy sauce and honey. Another favorite is hangwa, a category of traditional Korean sweets made from rice flour, honey, and sesame oil. These desserts carry a sense of nostalgia and tradition, making them an integral part of celebrating Lunar New Year.
I have not tasted all of these, but I have tried the desserts and while I find them to be very sweet, they aren’t necessarily my first preference. We did spend the first night of Seollal wondering the cold and quiet streets of Itaewon (international district) after eating Turkish kabobs, followed by a pitstop into a photo booth to commemorate our time together (very Korean). So not the most traditional experience, but for expats it can simply be extra time to enjoy your family, in whatever way is best for you.
Celebrating Cultural Differences
We have had our fair share of holidays abroad, whether they are new-to-us holidays or American versions just celebrated differently, it is always a learning experience that brings so much perspective. One of the best ways to understand a culture is to learn what they value most, and Korea puts much of its time and energy into strong family bonds and traditions. Whether you’re an expat or a traveler, participating in cultural festivities is a wonderful way to connect with Korean culture and its people.
