Edutainer: Yeon-hwa
📌 Heads up before you read
Want to learn Korean and understand Korean culture? Do you want to communicate more with Koreans?
But you don't know the most important holidays in Korea? That's impossible!
I’ll guide you through Korea’s major holidays in 2025, starting from January. Holidays are one of the most common topics in conversations with Koreans. By knowing these special days, you can not only understand Korean culture more naturally but also use them as fun conversation starters.
You don’t need to force yourself to memorize anything. Just take a look at the Korean calendar with me and think, “Oh, Korea has a day like this! That’s what it means!” Enjoy it casually and have fun! 😊
✋ This Is the First Thing You Need to Know
What kind of calendar is used in your country?
In Korea, two types of calendars are used: 양력[yang-nyeok] (Solar Calendar) and 음력[eum-nyeok] (Lunar Calendar).
Most Korean calendars display both solar and lunar dates, with the solar dates in larger print and the lunar dates in smaller print, as shown in the image above.
[yang-nyeok]
Used for most daily activities in Korea
[eum-nyeok]
Traditional holidays like Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) follow the lunar calendar
Some people, especially those aged 30 and older, celebrate their birthdays according to the lunar calendar.
So, Korea Celebrates the New Year Twice
Solar Calendar January 1st: Widely celebrated as the first day of the year
Lunar Calendar January 1st: Korea's traditional New Year, known as Seollal
This unique culture of celebrating both the solar and lunar New Year gives Korea a chance to welcome the New Year twice!
By understanding these two calendars, you’ll gain deeper insights into Korean culture and daily life. 😊
Let's take a closer look at the calendar!
2025 January Calendar
🔎 Tap the image to view it in full size
January 1st
신정[sin-jeong]
New Year of the solar calendar
January 1st marks the start of the new year based on the solar calendar. Many Koreans celebrate by traveling to see the first sunrise or staying home to set their intentions for the year.
Koreans watching the New Year sunrise
January 20th
대한[dae-han]
Great cold day
Around January 20th, you’ll often hear the term [dae-han] mentioned in Korean news and variety shows.
[Dae-han] is the 24th and last solar term in the Korean calendar, marking the coldest day of the year. It occurs when the sun’s longitude reaches 300 degrees.
Even after [dae-han], if the weather remains cold, Koreans might say, “Why is it still so cold even though [dae-han] is over?”
January 28th to 30th
설날[seol-lal]
Lunar New Year
Korea’s Real New Year
In Korea, the true New Year is [seol-lal], marking the start of the year according to the lunar calendar. While it fell in February in 2024, it will be celebrated in January in 2025.
[seol-lal] is one of Korea’s biggest holidays, a time for families to come together and celebrate.
During this period, many people wear 한복[han-bok], traditional Korean clothing.
Families gather to eat 떡국[tteok-kkuk], a traditional rice cake soup.
🔥 Boosting Korean Knowledge
New Year Greetings
1️⃣ 새해 인사말
새해 복 많이 받으세요!
[sae-hae bok ma-ni ba-deu-se-yo]
Wishing you a lot of luck in the New Year!
2️⃣ 안부 인사말
떡국 드셨어요?
[tteok-kkuk deu-syeo-sseo-yo]
Did you eat [tteok-kkuk]?
🎁 Essential insights into Korean culture
[tteok-kkuk] and the Story of Age
In Korea, there’s a fun tradition that eating [tteok-kkuk] during [seol-lal] adds a year to your age. Of course, your age increases naturally, but Koreans see eating [tteok-kkuk] as a meaningful way to celebrate the New Year.
[tteok-kkuk] is made with thinly sliced rice cakes, symbolizing health and longevity. On the morning of [seol-lal], families share [tteok-kkuk] to celebrate the start of the year.
If someone asks, "Did you eat [tteok-kkuk]?'" it carries two meanings.
They’re not only literally asking if you ate [tteok-kkuk], but they’re also playfully asking, 'Have you properly started the New Year?' Both meanings are wrapped up in this simple question. 😊
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