December 14th: Hug Day!

IDsteve,

Finally, Korean “tradition” has taken a break from uber-capitalism! As December means the arrival of Winter, and the 14th is always a special day in Korea, this is the day for couples to hug and keep each other warm from the cold weather.

We love the sentiment, and the fact that this is the first of Korea’s traditional “14th” holidays not to be blatantly pushing a sales message!

SEL Hugging Heart

November 14th: Movie Day! (+ Pepero Day Bonus!)

IDsteve,

I think it’s pretty well documented that Korean marketers must have clearly run out of ideas for interesting, pleasant or charming traditional holidays, and here is further evidence. What do couples in Korea do today? That’s right….go watch a movie.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could just start a business and then somehow make a nation of 50 million people adapt supporting your business as a cultural tradition?!?

Worth nothing, just three days ago was “Pepero Day”, on which young lovers exchange Pepero brand biscuit sticks. The idea, apparently, is that the sticks next to each other resemble the number “11”, and so they are a fitting thing to eat on 11/11. As Koreans are also obsessed with being tall and skinny, they are also supposed to serve as a symbol of good luck to attaining such a figure, although we’ve yet to find a doctor who suggests that eating chocolate covered biscuits will help anyone get there.

pepero

October 14th: Wine Day! (+ Apple Day Bonus!)

IDsteve,

As with last month’s “Photo & Music Day”, it seems as though Korean marketers are just no longer trying at this point. Yet, if the public takes the idea and runs with it, it’s a success…and therefore, day is the day for couples to share a bottle of wine together in Korea!

October gives you a bonus though, holiday lovers. Coming up in just 10 days, there is another special day: Apple Day. As the Korean word for apple (sa-kwa) also means to apologize, this is the day for couples to apologize to each other for past mistakes and exchange apples (which again, leads me to question the sincerity of the holiday, but let’s never mind that little issue for now). Wine makes us all happy!

September 14th: Photo & Music Day!

IDsteve,

As every 14th is celebrated as some special holiday in Korea, it is difficult to keep the ideas fresh and unique, especially now as we inch our way towards the double-digit months. While I’ve suspected before that many of these “traditions” are more the product of corporate marketing departments more so than any real cultural-rooted thing, it seems now that they aren’t even trying to cover it up anymore!

As you may guess, today is the day that couples are supposed to take photos together, perhaps using the oh-so-convenient photo booth places dotted throughout neighborhoods like Seoul’s Hongdae, and then go out to noraebangs and nightclubs to dance the night away. (Though if you walk around that same Hongdae neighborhood just about any night of the week, you will realize there is no need for a holiday to encourage young Koreans to do this…)

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August 14th: Green Day!

IDsteve,

Yes, my friends….Green Day is in fact more than a band. Every 14th of the month is celebrated as something special in Korean tradition, and this time around is the day for couples to dress in green and take a walk through the woods.

As with Kiss Day in June, I’m not sure that this is much more “tradition” than it is an opportunity for couples to camouflage themselves and make out publicly in outwardly-conservative Korea, but it is what it is.

For those of you who are single today, you are free to drown your sorrows by drinking a green bottle of soju…good for the senses!

July 14th: Silver Day! (aka Free Date Day!)

IDsteve,

Since every 14th in Korea has to be something, why not celebrate silver on one of the special days? Couples in Korea are supposed to exchange gifts made of silver today…maybe not for the faint of pocket.

Ironically enough, it is also the norm for the couples to ask friends for money to celebrate this day, which is where it’s “AKA” name has grown from: Free Date Day!

June 14th: Kiss Day!

IDsteve,

While some of Korea’s legendary 14ths make some sense, this one doesn’t seem to be rooted in much of a sense of tradition. Today, Korean couples everywhere will confess their loving feelings to one another and kiss each other passionately.

But my question is, shouldn’t that kind of happen between lovers anyway? And if it is forced by tradition, are any of the “feelings” actually exchanged really genuine?

My guess is that it’s just another excuse to make out in public, which typically is a bit more taboo in Korea.

SEL Making Out

May 14th: Rose/Yellow Day!

IDsteve,

Yet again, we’ve reached the 14th of the month…and if you have a significant other, today is the day on which you must exchange roses. If you’re in Korea, anyway.

Have you fear if you don’t have that significant other, however. Korean tradition hasn’t forgotten you this time. Indeed, if you find yourself in that situation, today is the day you are supposed to gather together with other singletons out there and stuff your face with curry!

Oh, and single or not, you’ll see a lot of Koreans dressed in yellow today…

April 14th: Black Day!

IDsteve,

It’s yet another 14th of the month, and that may not mean anything to you, but it certainly means something in Korea! Now that we’re in April, the 14th is “Black Day”—time to have your very own, personal pity party!

Yes, that’s right. Those of you who weren’t lucky enough to give to or receive from someone special on Valentine’s Day and White Day, this is your day to shine. Well, that is, if your definition of “shine” is to bury your sorrows in ja jang myun (black noodle soup), or other black foods.

I can’t say I’m sure how this would help one feel better, but who’s to argue with Korean tradition?

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Five Steps for Drinking With Koreans

IDsteve,

If you’ve ever so much as hung out with a Korean person, you know that they can match drinks with anyone. I didn’t even have to go to Korea to first learn this, as I got plenty of education even in the U.S. on what the phrase “Johnnie Black” means to Koreans. We gave you some advice for drinking with the Chinese, and since each culture in Asia has its own strict drinking rules, we thought we’d do the same in case you find yourself drinking with Koreans.

Without further adieu, here are your five steps to drinking with Koreans:

  1. Never, ever, under any circumstances pour your own drink: Just as you are supposed to be looking out for those around you to make sure their glasses are never empty (please, re-fill them if they are), they will be doing the same thing for you. Play along.
  1. Use two hands: When someone does pour your drink, hold your cup with both hands. This rule actually applies to anything given to you in Korea, and while you will probably be given a pass if you don’t do this out of unintentional ignorance, better to impress your hosts.
  1. Turn your back: I’m not sure that I agree with it, but Korea is still an incredibly hierarchical society. When drinking with someone who is considered a superior—a boss, older person, etc.—you should drink while turning your back from them when you take your sip.
  1. Eat when you can: Very rarely do Koreans drink with only one type of alcohol, and it can be considered rude to turn down a drink (also not sure I agree with this). Generally speaking, a night out will involve the traditional Korean vodka-like beverage of soju with dinner, beer with tasty Korean snacks like fried chicken at the next stop (hint: this is where you may want to load up—on food), a stop at another place for more beer, a trip to a karaoke place where you may end up drinking anything, and finally a trip to a club, where you also may be drinking anything. Food won’t be available everywhere, so to soak up your mixed liquor, eat when you can, even if this requires a quick stop by one of the delicious street food vendors selling tasty treats like ddokpoki in between venues.
  1. Selective amnesia: Depending how many people you’re out with, someone is going to drink too much. On a good day, this will just mean that he or she passes out at the table you are drinking at, in which case you will just see to it that he or she gets into a taxi safely. On a bad day, this will turn into a meaningless fight for no reason at all. Either way, this isn’t necessarily considered shameful in Korea, since it is expected to happen to the best of them at times, and simply means you’re making a noble effort to keep your drinking skills up. But when it does, a true gentleman will never mention it again. You’ll hope someone extends you the same courtesy when it’s you who is sprawled out on the floor of a Korean bar.
Listen to this advice when you're having dinner...

Listen to this advice when you’re having dinner…

...because this is to follow...

…because this is to follow…

Yes, that says 4pm to 9am....

Yes, that says 4pm to 9am….

It isn't going to slow down...

It isn’t going to slow down…

SKK_2948

…so eat that chicken when you can…

 

...because there is more of this to follow...

…because there is more of this to follow…

...with no shortage of options...

…with no shortage of options…

...you're likely to end up doing some karaoke...

…you’re likely to end up doing some karaoke…

...and then at a club

…and then at a club

Cut some slack to whoever looks like this first...

Cut some slack to whoever looks like this first…