Lunar New Year Activities

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In Korea, Seollal (also Seolnal) refers to Lunar New Year’s Day, Korea’s biggest holiday of the year.

In the past, almost everyone headed to their hometowns to perform ceremonial rites paying their respect to their ancestors, which is why the day before and after Seollal are also designated holidays and why government offices, banks and many businesses/services are closed.

That said, an increasing number of Koreans either stay home (and avoid the heavy traffic) or if the holidays are long enough (close to a weekend so they can add days), travel abroad. The majority of department/discount stores, markets, tourist sites, restaurants, etc. are now open for at least one or two of the holiday days, including New Year’s Day itself.

Things to do over Seollal
Explore Seoul – this is a great time to get around the city as traffic is generally better with people either going home or traveling abroad. The transit system operates all though the holidays and many tourist sites are open, with some offering special cultural programs.

Events at Palaces:
Gyeongbokgung (Palace) which also houses the Joseon palace Museum and the Korean Folk Museum offers special programs for both foreign and domestic visitors during the holiday period, including information on traditional rituals and games, as well as performances of traditional folk plays.

Unhyeongung (Palace) offer a New Year welcoming events program that includes traditional plays, a charye table exhibition. On New Year’s Day itself, there are special family-oriented programs.
Jongmyo Shrine

Jongmyo Shrine holds a traditional folk event at the parking lot in front of the main gate of the shrine during the holiday period. Visitors (foreign and local) wearing the traditional Hanbok are exempted from paying the entry fee. Traditional plays are also performed.

Events at Traditional Theme‘Villages:
Korea Folk Village offers visitors a “Seollal Welcoming Folk Hanmadang” that consists of a “New Year’s Wishing Event” where participants wish for the well being of their family and for fulfilling their personal wishes and a “Folk Experience Event” where visitors can enjoy Korean traditional plays with their family, participate in kite making, sweet potato roasting, jeggi and yut making, among others.

Namsangol Traditional (Hanok) Village offers information on how to prepare for the Charye, a ceremony honouring family ancestors as well as how to conduct oneself the Charye table.
Also, the Village holds various Madangs (experience places open to the public) such as Performances Madang, Wishing Madang, Customs Madang, Foods Madang, Playing Madang and Exhibitions Madang. “We’ll Write Family Precepts in Calligraphy” and “Let’s Make a Wish Kite” are other activity options, as are the “Ddeokme Chigi (striking a rice-cake mallet) Experience” and a number of food sampling areas where visitors can taste Mageolli (Korean traditional rice wine), roast sweet potato, parched beans.

Museums:
National Folk Museum organizes various folk experience events during the Lunar New Year Period, including folk music instrument performances, arts & craft experiences/classes, folk plays and exhibitions.

National Museum of Korea organizes exhibitions, lectures and hand-on experience programs.

Amusement Parks
Everland has a special New Year’s Folk Festival that runs from January until a little after Lunar New Year. It is part of the attractions at Everland, as are some special cultural and handcraft workshops.

Lotte World Folk Museum holds a special traditional performance at set times over the holiday period. 

Regular Activities:
You'll find that most department stores, discount stores as well as some market/street vendors operate on at least two if not all three of the holiday days. Movie theatres and restaurants are generally open as well. Just check with your favourite restaurant to see what it's holiday schedule will be. Or check out the information on your favourites in the Korea4Expats.com Directory. 

For more information on the current Lunar New Year special events, visit Korea4Expats’ What’s Going On section as well as Sparking Korea Tourism Info.

K4E Editor: Korea4Expats want to provide the most accurate and complete information possible, so if you notice an error or omission in the contents above, please contact us at info@korea4expats.com