Traditional Holiday in Korea (New Year Holiday)
🌅 Seollal: The Korean Lunar New Year
Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year, marks the first day of the lunar calendar (January 1st by the lunar system). It is one of the most important and widely celebrated traditional holidays in Korea, symbolizing the beginning of a new year and a fresh start.
Seollal is known by many names throughout history, including:
Wonil (元日), Wondan (元旦), Wonjeong (元正), Wonshin (元新), Wonjo (元朝), Jeongjo (正朝), Sessu (歲首), Secho (歲初), Yeondu (年頭), Yeonsu (年首), Yeonsi (年始), Sinil (愼日), Daldo (怛忉), and Gujeong (舊正).
Most of these names literally mean “the first day” or “the beginning of the year.”
📖 What Does “Seol” Mean?
The word Seol carries multiple interpretations.
1️⃣ The Beginning of a New Year
Seol marks the first day of the first lunar month, symbolizing renewal and new beginnings.
2️⃣ A Day of Caution
Another name for Seollal is Sinil or Daldo, meaning “a day of caution and self-restraint.” Historically, it was considered a solemn and mindful day.
3️⃣ The Origin of “Age” (살, sal)
In traditional Korean culture, a person grew one year older each time Seol passed. Some scholars believe that the word Seol eventually evolved into sal, the modern Korean word meaning “years of age.”
Another theory suggests that Seol comes from the Korean word meaning “unfamiliar” or “new,” reflecting the idea of stepping into a new and unknown year.
🎉 More Than Just One Day
Although Seollal technically refers to the first day of the lunar year, the festive atmosphere traditionally continues until the first full moon of the year (Daeboreum).
For this reason, people often refer to the entire period as the Seollal holiday season.
Historically, Korea had seasonal celebrations almost every month. However, two were especially important:
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Seollal (New Year’s Day) – marking the beginning of the year
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Full Moon Festivals – symbolizing agricultural abundance
Among full moon celebrations, two stand out:
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🌕 Daeboreum (First Full Moon of the lunar year)
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🌕 Chuseok (Harvest Moon Festival in the eighth lunar month)
Because Korea has long been an agricultural society, the full moon symbolized prosperity, fullness, and a successful harvest.
🏛 Historical Origins of Seollal
Early Records (7th Century)
The earliest written references to Seollal appear in Chinese historical texts such as:
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Book of Sui (隋書)
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Book of Tang (唐書)
These records describe how, on the first day of the first lunar month:
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People exchanged New Year’s greetings
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The king hosted a banquet
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Rituals were performed to honor the sun and moon
This shows that Seollal was already established as a national celebration during the Silla period.
Even Earlier Evidence (3rd Century)
The Records of the Three Kingdoms (三國志) suggests that ancient Korean states used formal calendar systems. Since calendars structured the year, it is highly likely that a New Year’s Day celebration existed, though the exact timing may have varied.
The Story in Samguk Yusa
The Korean historical text Samguk Yusa (三國遺事) mentions an incident during the reign of King Soji of Silla. After a royal scandal, certain days at the beginning of the year were observed with caution and restraint. These days were called Daldo, another name associated with Seollal.
Some of these early taboos and customs still influence traditions today.
📜 Seollal in Goryeo and Joseon
Goryeo Dynasty
According to the Goryeosa (History of Goryeo), nine major traditional holidays were observed, including:
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New Year’s Day (Seollal)
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Daeboreum
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Hansik
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Dano
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Chuseok
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Dongji (Winter Solstice)
Joseon Dynasty
During the Joseon period, four major holidays were officially recognized:
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New Year’s Day
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Hansik
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Dano
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Chuseok
However, seasonal customs remained vibrant and diverse among the people.
❄ The “Little New Year”: Winter Solstice
Interestingly, the Winter Solstice (Dongji) was sometimes called “Ase” (亞歲), meaning “Little New Year.”
There is a traditional saying:
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🥣 Eat rice cake soup (tteokguk) on Seollal → You gain one year of age.
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🥣 Eat red bean porridge on Dongji → You also gain one year of age.
This idea traces back to the Later Han Dynasty in China, when the Winter Solstice was once considered the beginning of the year.
In traditional calendrical calculations, the Winter Solstice served as the starting reference point, which explains its symbolic importance.
🌙 Why Seollal Still Matters
Seollal is more than just a holiday. It represents:
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Renewal
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Family unity
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Respect for ancestors
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Reflection and fresh beginnings
Rooted in agricultural traditions and centuries of history, Seollal continues to be one of Korea’s most meaningful cultural celebrations.
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