02-06-2011 10:47 BJT
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People in South Korea celebrate the dawning of a new year twice, but more importance is placed on the lunar occasion, rather than the solar experience. For an up-close look at how families around the country ring in the holiday, our correspondent, U-Jean Jung, visited a Hanok village, as well as a palace in Seoul.
The Lunar New Year is one of the key traditional holidays celebrated in South Korea, and it lasts for a total of three days.
U-Jean Jung, CCTV Correspondent , said, "On New Year's Day, many South Koreans, especially children, get dressed in `Han-bok,` a form of traditional attire, like the one I am wearing now."
To kick start the day, children perform "sae-bae," where they bow to their grandparents, parents, and other adults in the family -- to wish them happiness in the New Year. The children are typically rewarded with "deokdam," or words of wisdom, as well as crisp New Year's money.
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| South Korean women enjoy with ice sled at the 14th-century Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 4, 2011. Many of South Korean celebrate the Lunar New Year, as one of the country's biggest traditional holidays. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man) |
During this family-oriented holiday, many families perform "cha-rye," a ritual where seasonal specialties are offered on the table for one's ancestors. The food is arranged according to a set of rules that differ from family to family. And after the ritual is over, the food is for the family to share.
U-Jean Jung, CCTV Correspondent , said,"Amongst all great dishes eaten on New Year's Day, to truly become a year older, one has to finish a bowl of tteok-guk."
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