Korea’s Traditional Styles of Greetings on New Year’s Day

The lunar New Year’s Day this year falls on February 10.

From time immemorial Korea has various customs of wishing harmony, happiness and good health of family members as they celebrate the lunar New Year’s Day. A typical example is the lunar New Year’s greeting.

As a greeting to seniors on the morning of the lunar New Year’s Day, it is an important etiquette which the Korean people have long observed.

The Korean people hold a Charye (memorial service) for deceased ancestors on the early morning of the lunar New Year’s Day and give the first New Year’s greeting to them. It is called Ttokkuk Charye for the rice-cake soup is put on the table as an essential dish. Ttokkuk means rice-cake soup.

Greetings are given first to the elders of the family and then to the elders and teachers of the village as well as to their friends.

The elders gave their offspring and children simple gifts they had prepared in reward for the latter’s greetings. They also served visitors with different traditional dishes and a cup of cold liquor, out of their wishes that the latter would live in good health all the year round.

And acquaintances exchange greetings, saying, “I hope your wishes will come true in the New Year,” or “I hope you will have a son this year.” They wish for each other’s good health, happiness and family’s harmony.

In addition, Korea had another traditional style of greeting, called Seham, meaning that one sends New Year’s greeting to others in written form without visiting in person. This style of greeting was replaced by the custom of sending a New Year’s card today.

This clearly shows the excellent traditions of the Korean nation which respects the elders, values their courtesy and lives in harmony.