I looked into festivities in South Korea. There are many traditional festivals celebrated in Korea which have large cultural roots and are tied to agriculture and harvest season. When I was reading about the festivals, it was really fun to read about the different traditions that people cary out, but the thing that fascinated me most was the important role that food played in these festivals. Along with certain traditional acts associated with the festival and its meaning, most of these festivals have a certain dish or drink that is consumed during the festival. Here is a list of Korean traditional festivals accompanied by their significance, what people do, and what people eat and drink:
- 설날 (seolnal) - This is the Lunar New Year. It is one of the biggest holidays in Korea. People wear 한복 (Korean traditional clothing), and demonstrate their respect for their elders through 세배 (a new year’s bow) and their deceased ancestor by performing 차례 (an ancestral ritual).
- 정월 대보름 (jeong-wol daeboleum) - This is a day to celebrate the first full moon of the new year. This is also a day when farmers prep their fields using fire and charcoal to do away with whatever is there and fertilize the ground for the year’s farming. They traditionally do this by playing 쥐불놀이 (jwibulnori). Other people (non-farmers) go up a mountain and make their wishes to the moon. People drink an alcoholic beverage named 귀밝이술 which is known to brighten their ears and make good things happen during the year.
- 머슴날 (meoseumnal) - This is a festival for servants. The masters allow their servants to celebrate the day by having extra foos, singing, and dancing. This was invented to encourage the servants to work better on the year’s farming. The servants usually had 송편 (traditional rice cake).
- 영등제 (yongdeungje) - This is the Wind God festival. People usually prepare a special meal with 섬밥 (special rice) and pray to 영등 for an abundant harvest for the year.
- 삼짇날 (samjinnal) - This is a festival to celebrate the coming of Spring. People eat 화전 (rice pancakes with flower toppings) and 국수 (noodles), and drink 두견주 (azalea petal wine).
- 한식 (hansik) - This is a festival that notifies the start of the farming season. People perform 제사 an ancestral ritual, and eat 쑥떡 (mugwort cake), 쑥단자 (mugwort dumplings), and 쑥탕 (mugwort soup).
- 초파일 (chopail) - This is a festival to celebrate the birthday of Shakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism. People celebrate by making and hanging lanterns. They eat a variety of 떡 (rice cakes), 만두 (dumplings), and special dishes made from fish.
- 단오 (dano) - This is a festival in celebration of spring and farming. People play folk games like 씨름. They eat a variety of 떡 (rice cakes) and herb cakes.
- 유두 (yudu) - This is a festival celebrated in hopes of getting rid of ghosts and bad spirits. People perform rituals to the farming god with newly harvested fruits hoping for a fruitful harvest. People also eat 국수 (noodles) as it is believed that this leads to them living a prosperous and long life.
- 삼복 (sambok) - This is the hottest day of the year. In order to get through the hottest day of the year, people eat 삼계탕 (a dish made with chicken and 인삼).
- 칠석 (chilseok) - This is a festival for women’s weaving activities. They pay their respects to 직녀, a talented weaver in Korean folklore, in hopes of weaving better. People eat 밀전병 (wheat pancakes) and 밀국수 (wheat noodles).
- 백중 (chuseok) - This is Korean Thanksgiving. People play lots of games like 씨름, and perform rituals like 차례 for their ancestors. They eat traditional foods like 송편 (traditional rice cake), 토란탕 (taro soup), and 소주 (liquor made from newly harvested fruits and vegetables).
- 중양절 (jungyangjeol) - This is a festival to enjoy autumn. People enjoy the 단풍놀이 (autumn leaves) while eating 국화전 (chrysanthemum pancakes) and 어란 (roe), and drinking 유자청 (honey citron tea).
- 동지 (dongji) - This is a day with the longest night and shortest day. This day marks the beginning of spring. People eat 팥죽 (porridge made of red beans) which is believed to ward off evil spirits.
- 섣달그믐 (seotdalgeumeum) - This is to celebrate the last day of the year and drive away evils spirits to welcome a prosperous new year. Most of the day is spent in preparation for 설날 (the new year).
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