Lunar New Year

Seollal (설날), the Korean Lunar New Year, is one of the most significant traditional holidays in South Korea, deeply rooted in Confucian values and agricultural customs. The holiday marks the first day of the lunar calendar, typically falling between late January and mid-February. In 2026, Seollal begins on February 17, ushering in the Year of the Horse (壬午年). Historically, Seollal has been a time to honor ancestors and seek blessings for a prosperous year ahead, with origins tracing back to the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCE – 668 CE). The holiday reflects Korea’s agrarian heritage, as families would pause from farming to celebrate the new harvest cycle and pay respects to their lineage.

Central to Seollal is the ancestral rite known as charye (차례), where families gather early in the morning to offer food and bow before memorial tablets. Traditional foods like tteokguk (떡국), a savory rice cake soup, are eaten to symbolize gaining a year of age and good fortune. Another key custom is sebae (세배), a deep bow performed by younger generations to elders, followed by blessings and often gifts of money (세뱃돈). Families also enjoy folk games such as yutnori (윷놀이), a board game using sticks, and flying kites or playing jegichagi (제기차기). The standard greeting is "Saehae bok mani badeuseyo" (새해 복 많이 받으세요), meaning "Receive many blessings in the new year."