Since the origin of Christmas, many cultures have joined the celebration, in which family and friends gather to commemorate the birth of Jesus. In some cases, they simply gather around a table to thank the love and peace of a year that is gone and another that is coming. In Western cultures, we know how Christmas is celebrated in other countries. Nevertheless, What about the most distant cultures? Stay! In Supercurioso we tell you how Christmas is celebrated in South Korea.
In the East, Societies have completely different traditions, especially when it comes to Christmas traditions.. In reality, we know little about them: what do they eat?, how do they celebrate?, and with whom do they celebrate? Continuing with our Christmas special, we have decided to tell you a little more about how Christmas is celebrated in South Korea, believe us, it is not the same as how Christmas is celebrated in Spain or Brazil…
To give you an idea, we will tell you that this country It only has a 2% believer population and of that percentage only 30% is Christian. In short, it is unusual to find people who celebrate Christmas to the letter. Even so, it seems that this country has always kept in mind the traditions of all its citizens, which is why December 25 and December 31 are holidays.
According to historical records, and as one of the curiosities of South Korea, it is known that Christianity did not arrive in the territory until the 17th century and that during the last 100 years it has gained great popularity. So how is Christmas celebrated in South Korea? Well, let’s go in parts.
if you wonder what to see in south korea or you have an upcoming trip to this destination, we tell you that, Christmas is not as extensive as in other countries. Actually, its celebration begins on December 24. In big cities, Christmas lights or the occasional Christmas tree may be put up, even from the beginning of December, but the truth is that in rural regions this is not the case.
Of course, putting up Christmas decorations is another of the consequences of globalization, one that has made us believe that all cultures are homogeneous. But, without a doubt, this western phenomenon is not fully integrated into its tradition. To think about how Christmas is celebrated in South Korea is to imagine something else: love.
Just as you read it… Well, says one of the Christmas phrases most popular of all time: “Blessed be the date that unites the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” Indeed, the Koreans are clear about this, Your Christmas is like another Valentine.
As we all know, in the West the custom is to gather with the family for dinner on Christmas Eve and uncover the gifts the next day. In the case of South Korea, this is not the case. Christmas is a date to spend with your partner or friends. Few people meet with their loved ones on this date. Instead, they host romantic dinners, moonlight outings, or huge disco parties.
It would not be fair to imagine how Christmas is celebrated in South Korea without thinking about the restaurants and squares open at midnight. Yes, On this date, very few stay at home sheltered from the inclement cold. On the contrary, they go out to walk the streets of the city to enjoy a good wine or champagne. All couples this day make a special plan.
Do you know why gifts are given at Christmas? Its origin has to do with the Saturnalia festivals celebrated in Rome before the beginning of our era.. But as with Christmas in Japan, little by little South Korea was introducing it to its tradition, yes, with some changes…
In this case, it is not common for many gifts to be given away. It is only given to one person, who is generally your partner or your friend. However, they do take children into account for the celebration. Although it is not common for families to gather on December 25 to uncover gifts, children usually receive money so that they can invest it in whatever they want. Koreans sure know how to save on Christmas!
We have already said that generally Christmas dinners are typical of restaurants, but do not think that it is just any menu. They have special and delicious dishes that accompany their tradition. How is Christmas celebrated in South Korea? There is no doubt that with a good dish of Bulgogi and potato noodles.
The bulgogi is part of the typical south korea foodthe fundamental ingredient is beef cut into strips and marinated with soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and garlic that will later be cooked. Its cooking is done on the grill, although it can also be done in the oven or fry them in a pan. As dessert, they usually eat a rice cake decorated with fruits or Korean sweets or Baesuk, a regional dessert that is made with the best pears from the annual harvests.
5. The Korean Santa
We could not close our article on how Christmas is celebrated in South Korea, without first introducing Santa Kullusu or Santa Haraboji (grandfather), the Korean Santa Claus. This Santa does not have the conventional suit that we all have in mindhe may sometimes wear a blue suit instead of a red suit, something that was common in the 19th century, when Santa Claus was often depicted dressed in blue or green, until red became the most popular color .
Besides this, Saint Kullusu usually wears a traditional Korean hat (gat) that used to be part of men’s usual attire during the Joseon Dynasty, which goes from 1392 to 1910. However, you should know that if you travel to Seoul at Christmas, for example, you will most likely see the traditional Santa Claus. Since, as we mentioned, Western traditions have invaded other territories, causing cultural changes to take place in them.
We hope that after reading this article, you know how Christmas is celebrated in South Korea; an ideal time to share with your partner or friends the love and bond that exists. If you want to know a little more about our special, do not miss the Christmas curiosities that we have for you. More than one will leave you with your mouth open.
If the Christmas spirit has already awakened in you, we invite you to read our post on Christmas curiosities. From now on, we wish you happy holidays and much prosperity! Christmas in the world is very diverse. For this reason, we have prepared this selection about the celebrations of different countries. We hope you enjoy it and get inundated with the Christmas spirit.