Celebrate the Year of the Tiger in Korea during Chinese New Year — Experience traditional Hanbok attire and tteokguk (rice cake soup)

After Christmas comes the excitement of preparing for the new year. The New Year is Korea’s most important holiday. Like in Taiwan, Koreans also celebrate Lunar New Year. During the festivities, people wear traditional Korean clothing to pay respects to their ancestors and offer New Year greetings to the elders in their families. They then enjoy traditional tteokguk, while every household prepares treats such as honey-glutinous rice balls, cinnamon soup, and eight-treasure rice to welcome visiting relatives and friends. The festive atmosphere is truly lively.

In Korea, the Lunar New Year is called “Seollal” (old year), while the New Year is referred to as “Sinjeong” (new year). Eating tteokguk on the morning of the Lunar New Year signifies that you’ve officially become one year older. Made from rice, the small white, round rice cakes symbolize the sun. Eating tteokguk early on New Year's Day welcomes the arrival of a bright new year. As for the colorful and gracefully curved Hanbok, it can be seen not only during the New Year but also at many other important festivals. In Seoul, some of the most representative places to buy Hanbok include Gwangjang Market, Namdaemun Market, and the large shopping mall Doosan Tower in Dongdaemun. Visitors can choose their favorite styles based on different fabrics and designs and even buy a set to wear for fun.

During the Korean New Year, there is a wide variety of traditional games to enjoy, such as yutnori (a four-stick game), kite flying, spinning tops, and seesaw jumping. This period also coincides with Korea’s ski season, making popular ski resorts a top choice for travel. Yongpyong Resort in Gangwon Province and Muju Resort in North Jeolla Province, located in central Korea, are among the country’s most renowned ski destinations. Yongpyong Resort boasts 28 ski slopes, making it Korea’s largest ski resort, with well-developed facilities and on-site equipment rentals. Muju Ski Resort, set against the backdrop of Deogyu Mountain National Park, attracts Western visitors with its Austrian architectural style and spacious activity areas.

Korean New Year offers a chance to experience a variety of local traditions, along with spicy cuisine, the ongoing popularity of K-dramas, and diverse fashion shopping — perfect for ringing in the Lunar New Year in true Hallyu (Korean Wave) style!

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