New Year Traditions in Korea

In 신정 or 구정, you are supposed to eat a certain number of bowls of 떡국 according to the new age you become. For example, I am turning 30 in the Korean age counting system so I have to eat 30 bowls of 떡국.

During the 구정, we usually spend time with family. It is customary for younger generations to give homage to the older generations by bowing down. This is called 새배. It is customary for everyone in the family to wear 한복 (traditional Korean clothes) and partake in the festivities.

복 주머니 which translates to blessings pouch is a gift received by the younger generations from older generations. Usually the older generations give the younger generations money, but the giving of the 복 주머니 means blessing the younger generations so contents do not really matter.

윷놀이 is played in the family during either of the New Years. Money is bet between families. Usually, we bet the money we just received from the older generations to play. Rules 1. Throw the four sticks that all have two sides 2. Count the sticks that are facing up 3. Move the playing pieces according to the number of sticks that are facing up 4. If all the sticks are facing down or up you can throw again after moving 4 or 5 tiles. 5. You can also play if you catch the other teams pieces. 6. The first team to go around all the tiles wins

덕담 is customary during the New Years. The older and younger generations wish blessings to each other and wish for success in each others life. Usually, we all go around in a family circle to bless each other.

1. 새해 복 많이 받으세요. 2. 만수무강하시길 기원합니다. 3. 올해도 좋은 일만 있기를 기원합니다.