Everything to Know About Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year
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As the Lunar New Year approaches, one holiday you might want to learn about is Seollal, the Korean New Year. While many countries celebrate the Lunar New Year, each country has its own traditions and meaning associated with the occasion.
Like Chuseok, Seollal (설날) is a Korean holiday where families gather, offer food and drink to elders, and play games. It's also a time when people celebrate the beginning of a new year according to the lunar calendar.
"Seollal is not just a holiday; it's a vivid expression of Korean culture, embodying values of family, respect for elders, and hopes for a prosperous year," shares Dr. Jenelle Kim, the Korean-American author of Myung Sung: The Korean Art of Living Meditation. "It's a joyous occasion that connects us to our heritage and each other."
This meaningful holiday is rich with tradition. It's a time of joy and heartfelt reunions as families get together to mark the occasion. Keep reading to find out when Seollal is in 2024, how long Seollal lasts, and how it's celebrated in Korea and around the world. Plus, information on how to wish someone a happy Lunar New Year and how to play a few games traditionally associated with Seollal.
What is Seollal?
The Lunar New Year is the beginning of the new year based on the lunar calendar (as opposed to the Gregorian calendar). Various countries, including Korea, celebrate the start of the new year according to this calendar. In Korea, Seollal is the celebration of the Lunar New Year.
When is the Korean Lunar New Year?
This year, Seollal falls on February 10, 2024. Seollal falls on the first day of the lunar new year calendar, so the date for Seollal changes each year on the Western (solar) calendar. The Korean New Year celebration lasts for three days, encompassing both the day before and the day after the official holiday.
What does Seollal mean?
Annie Chun, co-founder of Gimme Seaweed, who was born and raised in central Seoul near the west coast of Korea, shares that Seollal means "New Year Day" in Korean.
This year's Seollal celebrates the Year of the Dragon. "It symbolizes strength, power, wisdom, good fortune and success," she shares. "2024 is predicted to be a great year to start new projects, explore new opportunities, and create value for yourself and others."
How to wish someone a "Happy Korean New Year"
"Koreans greet each other using the words 새해 복 많이 받으세요 (saehae bog manh-i bad-euseyo), which means, 'Please receive a lot of luck in the new year,'" says Chun.
What is the significance of Seollal?
Seollal is one of the most celebrated national holidays in Korea. In addition to celebrating the start of a new year, it's also a time when people pay tribute to their ancestors and spend time with family members.
"When I was young living in Korea, Seollal was a special day of visiting family and honoring our ancestors to show love and respect," shares Chun. "One very special part of our celebration is bowing to elder family members dressed in traditional Korean clothes called Hanbok."
Korean New Year traditions
In addition to honoring past generations, there are several other ways Seollal is celebrated.
Gift-giving
"One of my favorite traditions is gift-giving," says Chun. "A common practice during Seollal where elders give money in silk pouches called Bokjumeoni. These symbolize good luck and prosperity. This was a very important part of the celebration where children bow to their elders when receiving their gifts." Sebae (세배) is the name for the traditional act of kneeling and bowing deeply.
Korean New Year food
"Traditional foods are central to Seollal," explains Kim. "Tteokguk (떡국), a rice cake soup, is a staple, symbolizing a fresh start and gaining a year in age. Enjoying this dish with family signifies hope for prosperity and good fortune in the coming year."
Another important part of Seollal for many families is charye (차례). Kim says this is a ritual offering of food and drinks while paying respect to the family's lineage. "It's a beautiful way to acknowledge our roots and the continuity of generations."
Chun says other items that are commonly served as part of Korean New Year include mandu (만두) or Korean dumplings and sujeonggwa (수정과) – a traditional Korean beverage with persimmons, cinnamon, sugar and ginger. Adults also drink rice wine as part of the festivities.
Korean New Year games
"Children will also play yut-nori (stick game) and adults enjoy spirited rounds of hwatu (card games)," says Chun.
Yut-nori is a game where players take four wooden sticks. When it's each player's turn, they toss the sticks up. Depending on how they land, the player's piece either advances around the board or moves backwards. Artist Joyce Kwon has a video and blog post on her website demonstrating how to make and play the game.
Hwatu is a slightly more complicated card game that involves trying to match pairs of cards. You can find a more detailed explanation here.
YUTNORI Korean Board Game
YUTNORI Korean Board Game
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GeekbearHwatu Korean Flower Card Game
Hwatu Korean Flower Card Game
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