The Biggest National Holiday in Korea
201103628 Hana Choi
Although Korea has been so developed over the last few decades that the lifestyle is westernized, there are still a number of Korean traditional activities. Lunar New Year’s Day is one of them. It is a Korean traditional holiday which takes place on January first every year by lunar calendar. On the holiday all of the family members get together to wish their family good luck and enjoy their time. Because the holiday usually lasts more than 3 days, many things need to be prepared a couple of weeks before we celebrate New Year.
The markets in Korea become very crowded with the people buying presents for their relatives or neighbors. Merchants wearing Hanbok, a Korean traditional costume, sell a variety of products from general merchandise such as soaps, shampoo or socks to pricey food like ginseng, meat and so forth. Since a memorial service is held on the holiday morning, things for the rite including a folding screen, special utensils and a big wooden table are bought. Grandparents buy food for the ancestral rite and prepare food for their family. In case grandparents passed away the eldest son in family does what their parents did. And People who want to wear Hanbok during the holiday rent or buy one.
A day or two days before Lunar New Year, family arrives at grandparents’ house to make ritual food. Grandparents warmly welcome family members and they have lunch together. After lunch women make different kinds of food for the rite during the day. They usually make a lot of food to share it with others later. After they prepare food, they head to a shop to have tteok made. In every town there are several small tteok shops which are called ‘tteok mill’. There we see the whole process of rice go into a machine and turn out into hot and chewy tteok. While women do their job, men put out a folding screen, clean the utensils for the ancestral rite or make kites with children. In the evening we eat and take a rest playing yut or playing a card game called ‘go-stop’.
On the early morning of the holiday people hold a memorial ceremony. We put the food, fruits and sweets in the steel dishes and set them on the big wooden table. And we open the windows to let the spirits of our ancestors in and stop talking for a minute to give some time for the soul to eat the food we have prepared. We vow twice and the rite is over. After the rite we eat the food and tteok guk which is kind of soup with tteok, meat, vegetables in it and garnished with grilled eggs and many pieces of seaweed. In Korea people believe they get one year older after eating tteok guk on Lunar New Year’s Day so we eat at least one bowl of tteok guk during the day. Next we visit ancestors’ cemetery with offerings. After that we visit others’ house wearing hanbok and give presents. Children vow to elders for New Year’s and in response to that the elderly give words of blessing and some money to the children. For the last of the day Grown-ups eat and drink with their neighbors, children go out and play Korean traditional games like top-spinning game, yut, jegi, or kite flying.
After Lunar New Year, Many people do not get used to go back to their work or school because of all the eating and fun time they had. On the other hand some people do not like this holiday because of a long preparation. A few people even do not visit their family and go abroad for a trip during the holiday. However, Lunar New Year’s Day should be preserved as the biggest national holiday in Korea to unite family and make people remember their ancestors.
Hello Hana! My name is Xeniya. It was really interesting to learn more about Korean national holiday. And actually while I was reading I found some rites that my family and relatives also do. So here my comments:
ReplyDelete1. I think that you provided strong thesis statement that helps reader to know the process of preparation and celebration of Lunar New Year.
Because the holiday usually lasts more than 3 days, many things need to be prepared a couple of weeks before we celebrate New Year.
2. I think in your essay some background information was necessary since many people don’t know when Lunar New Year is and how it is important for Korean people. I tried to summarize the information: Lunar New Year is one of the national holidays of Korean people which take place on 1st of January every year by lunar calendar.
3. Yes. I think you could provide whole process of preparation in a sequence.
4. In the first body paragraph you discussed about preparations for this holiday. For example, preparation for Lunar New Year usually starts from buying gifts, food, special utensils and a big wooden table. In the second body paragraph you were describing tradition of visiting grandparents, cooking tteok and playing games. In the third body paragraph you talked about visiting ancestors.
5. I believe that you have sufficient supporting details however it would be better if you add some more details in the introduction. As I know this holiday has name in Korean so I think it would be better if you provide Korean name and then explanation about this holiday. Also “tteok” needs to be explained.
6. I think that your conclusion shows the importance of this holiday. And that it is necessary to spend the Lunar New Year with your family and relatives.
Second draft
ReplyDeleteLunar New Year: The National Holiday in Korea
201103628 Hana Choi
Although Korea has been so developed over the last few decades that the lifestyle is westernized, still a number of traditional activities are preserved. Lunar New Year's Day is one of them. it is a Korean traditional holiday which takes place on January first every year by lunar calendar. During the holiday most of Korean family members get together to wish their family good luck and enjoy their time. For this long-term holiday, people here prepare many things and spend a meaningful and special holiday every year.
Unlike other holidays I am always excited to feel Lunar New Year's Day is around the corner because weeks before the holiday, the markets in Korea already become very crowded with the people who buy presents for their thankful neighbors and relatives. it is pretty entertaining to see merchants in vivid coloured Hanbok which is a Korean traditional costume, and sell a gift box of general merchandise including soaps, shampoos, tooth pastes and so forth. Also, things including a folding screen, special utensils and a big wooden table are bought since a memorial service is the main part of the holiday. In addition people buy some food for the ancestral rite and grandparents prepare delicious food to welcome their family. And people who want to wear Hanbok for the holiday rent or buy one.
A day or two before Lunar New Year, family members head to their hometown to make ritual food. Grandparents warmly welcome their sons, daughter and grandchildren and prepare a generous meal. After a big lunch women make different kinds of food for the rite and they usually make a lot of food to share it with others later. After the cooking, they go to a shop to have tteok made. Tteok is sticky and chewy korean rice cake and there are many different kinds of it but we make white and long tteok for the holiday. In every town there are several small tteok shops which are called 'tteok mill' and there we see the whole process of how a pack of rice we have brought go into a machine and turn out into hot and chewy tteok. While women do their job, men put out a folding screen, clean the utensils for the ancestral rite or make kites with children. In the evening we eat and take a rest playing Korean traditional games like yut or a card game called 'go-stop'.
DeleteOn the early morning of the holiday people hold a memorial ceremony. We put the food, fruits and sweets which are prepared the day before in the steel dishes and set them on a big wooden table which is put in front of a screen. And we open the windows to let the spirits of our ancestors in and stop talking for a minute to give some time for the soul to eat the food. We vow two times in a row and the rite is over. After the rite we eat the food and tteok guk which is kind of soup with tteok, meat, vegetables in and garnished with chopped fried eggs and many pieces of cut seaweed. In Korea people believe they get one year older only after eating tteok guk on Lunar new year's Day so we eat at least one bowl of tteok guk during the day. Next we visit ancestors' cemetery bringing offerings and after that we visit others' house wearing colourful hanbok and give them presents. Children vow to the elderlies saying "Happy New Year" and in response to their vowing the old people give words of blessing and some money to the children. For the last of the day grown-ups eat and drink with their neighbors and children go out and play traditional games like top-spinning game, yut, jegi, or kite flying.
After Lunar New Year, many people do not get used to go back to their work or school because of all the eating and fun time they had. But on the other hand some people do not like this holiday because it costs money them to buy presents or food. Also they say too many things like making food, holding an ancestral ceremony and visiting so many houses go on only for two or three days. A few people even do not visit their family and go abroad for a trip during the holiday. However, if there was not the holiday Korean people would not make their time to meet either their neighbors or family members and did not think about the importance of their family. Lunar New Year's Day should be remained as the biggest national holiday in Korea to reunite family and make people remember their ancestors.
201103628 Hana Choi
ReplyDeleteFinal draft
Lunar New Year: The First Day of New Year
Although Korea has been so developed over the past few decades and the lifestyle is westernized, still many of traditional activities are done. Lunar New Year’s Day is one of them. It is a Korean traditional holiday which takes place on January first every year on the lunar calendar and it goes for a couple of days. During the holiday most of Korean family get together to wish good lucks and enjoy their time. For this special long holiday, there are lots things to be prepared.
Unlike other holidays people always get excited to feel Lunar New Year’s Day is around the corner. Because a couple of weeks before the holiday, markets in Korea already become very crowded with people who buy presents for their neighbors and relatives. Traditionally people prepare gifts for their thankful people. It is pretty entertaining to see merchants in vivid colour of Hanbok, a Korean traditional costume, try to attract people’s attention to sell gift boxes. Gift boxes are usually composed of soaps, shampoos, toothpastes but food like beef, seaweed, or sesame oils are also popular. Other than those gifts, things like a folding screen, special utensils and a big wooden table are bought for a memorial service. It is the main event of the holiday and it is held on the holiday morning. People also buy some food for the ancestral rite and grandparents prepare delicious food to welcome their family. And people who want to wear Hanbok during the holiday rent or buy one.
A day or two before Lunar New Year, family members head to their hometown to make ritual food. When I step out of the door to go to my cousin’s in the morning, I always smell food from other houses. That really makes me realize the holiday. When people arrive at their hometown, grandparents warmly welcome their sons, daughters and grandchildren. After a big warm lunch which grandparents prepared, women make different kinds of food for the rite. They usually make a lot of food to share it with others later. During the cooking, they head to a shop to have Korean rice cake which is called tteok made. In every town there are several small tteok shops which are called tteok mill and there we see the whole process of how a pack of rice we have brought goes into a machine and comes out into hot and chewy tteok. While women do their job, men put out a folding screen, clean the utensils for the ancestral rite or make kites with children. In the evening we eat and take a rest playing Korean traditional games like yut or a card game called ‘go-stop’. Nowadays people often spend their time watching TV and it is fun in its own way. Many special programs are on air every holiday like dancing and singing competitions. In those kinds of shows, some celebrities wearing beautiful hanbok come out and sing and dance.
On the early morning of the holiday people hold a memorial ceremony. We put the food, fruits and sweets in the steel dishes and set them on the big wooden table. And we open the windows to let the spirits of our ancestors in the house and stop talking for a minute to give some time for the soul to eat the food. We vow twice and the rite is over. After the rite we eat the food and tteok guk which is kind of soup with tteok, meat, vegetables in and garnished with grilled eggs and many pieces of cut seaweed. In Korea people believe they get one year older only after eating tteok guk on Lunar New Year’s Day so we eat at least one bowl of tteok guk during the day. Next we visit ancestors’ cemetery with offerings and after that we visit others’ houses wearing colourful hanbok and give them presents. Children bow to the elderlies saying “Happy New Year’s” and in response to that the old people give words of blessing and some money to the children. I am almost sure this is the best part of the holiday for children. For the last of the day grown-ups eat and drink with their neighbors while children go out and play Korean traditional games like top-spinning game, yut, jegi, or kite flying.
ReplyDeleteAfter Lunar New Year, Many people do not get used to go back to their work or school because of all the eating and fun time they had. On the other hand some people do not like this holiday because all the preparations cost too much and particularly for women there are too many things to prepare for celebrating the holiday. However, if we did not have this holiday Koreans would not make their time to meet their family and think about the importance of them. Lunar New Year’s Day should be remained as the biggest national holiday in Korea to unite family and make people remember their ancestors.