Korean Lunar New Year (Seollal) Customs and Etiquette

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The origin and meaning of Seollal
Seollal, the first day of the year on the lunar calendar, has several proposed etymologies — one holds it derives from "seolda," meaning "unfamiliar," and another that it derives from "sarida," meaning "to be cautious." It is a day carrying the meaning of carefully composing oneself, body and mind, to greet the new year, and along with Chuseok, it is considered one of Korea's two major holidays.
Sebae and money-gift etiquette
Sebae is the custom in which a younger person performs a deep bow to an elder as a New Year greeting; it is customary for the elder receiving the bow to offer well-wishes along with a monetary gift (sebaetdon). When performing sebae, proper etiquette calls for offering a New Year greeting verbally first, then performing the bow.
Why tteokguk is eaten
On Seollal morning, people eat tteokguk (rice cake soup), carrying both the meaning of starting the year cleanly, like the white rice cake, and the symbolic meaning that eating a bowl of tteokguk is what makes you a year older. For this reason, the expression "how many bowls of tteokguk have you eaten" is sometimes used to ask someone's age.
The basic principles of setting the ancestral rite table (charye-sang)
The way a charye table is set varies by family and region, but commonly known basic principles include "red fruit to the east, white fruit to the west" (hongdong-baekseo) and placing a fish's head facing east (dudong-miseo). That said, these rules are not absolute tradition but closer to conventions organized in later generations, and many families observe them differently.
Traditional games like yutnori and kite flying
During the Seollal holiday, it is customary for the whole family to enjoy traditional games together, such as yutnori (a board game with sticks), kite flying, and jegichagi (a shuttlecock kicking game). Yutnori in particular is considered the representative Seollal game, since people of any age or gender can easily join in.
Seollal holiday greeting etiquette
During the Seollal holiday, proper etiquette is to offer elders a greeting like "Saehae bok mani badeuseyo" ("I hope you receive much fortune in the new year"), and an appropriate greeting suited to the situation for peers or younger people. After performing sebae, listening attentively to the well-wishes an elder offers in return is also considered an important part of the etiquette.

What does Seollal mean to Koreans?

Seollal is Korea's representative holiday marking the start of the year, a day when family gathers together to pay respect to ancestors and wish for good fortune in the new year. Customs such as sebae, charye, and tteokguk carry the wisdom of ancestors who sought to begin the year with a sense of renewal.

Curious about the traditional games enjoyed at Seollal?

Check out the rules and origins of various traditional Korean games that the whole family can enjoy together during the Seollal holiday, such as yutnori and kite flying.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money should be given as sebaetdon?

There is no fixed amount — it varies depending on the child's age, relationship, and family circumstances, but it's common to give preschool-age children around 10,000 won and elementary-through-high-school-age children around 30,000 to 50,000 won.

Are there families that don't hold charye?

Yes, in recent years, more families have simplified or omitted charye due to religious reasons or changing values, simply sharing a meal together as a family instead.