Some traditions in Korea are similar to the Chinese traditions such as:
Unlucky number
Koreans consider number 4 as unlucky because when translated to Chinese, Number 4 means dead or death.
Koreans consider number 4 as unlucky because when translated to Chinese, Number 4 means dead or death.
Chopsticks
Meals time, chopsticks are not allowed to stick vertically on the food because it will be seen as offerings of food to the dead.
Other traditions will be:
Pregnancy
In the past, mothers having their first expectancy must go to their mother’s bedroom to deliver the child and recuperate by having seaweed soup with rice. No visitors are allowed into the house for 3 weeks and to indicate the child is a boy, pieces of charcoal and red peppers needs to be hang across the entrance place and if it is a girl, pieces of charcoal and green pine branches are tied to it. The name of the child is usually determined by the head or the eldest family member and after 100 days the baby was born, a big celebration will be held with lots guests being invited.
First night of New Year
It was believed that during the first night of New Year, a ghost will go around and try on people’s shoe. Unfortunately, if it finds a suitable one and like it a lot, it will take the shoes and the owner of the shoe will have bad luck for the rest of the year. Therefore, it is a tradition to keep away the shoes in order not to receive bad luck.
Men & Women
Korean is still a male dominated country, it is the guys; responsibility to work for the living of the family. Women will stay at home and be responsible to the home and their children. Under the Confucius code of conduct “male and female shall not sit close after the age of seven” and intimidate actions between singles of opposite sexes are not allowed. Hence, this policy resulted in strict controls over teenage dating which might even resulted in to waiting till they are 20-30 years old, and then they can date.
Marriage
In the past, marriage was arranged by the elders in the family and need both side of parents’ agreement before the wedding can take place. The parents’ criteria on their future in-laws will be according to the background, job prospect and education level for men, and the ability to fulfill domestic duties of marriages for the women. After marriage, the women does not take over the husband’s family name as in Korean culture, families are based on blood ties and not outsiders. One interesting custom is that when the celebration is coming to an end soon, the groom will be hang upside down by his friends and to be “tortured” by beating the groom’s sole of the feet to demand for bigger feast.
60th Birthday
It is considered as one of the special occasion in one’s lifetime because not many people get to live past the age of 60. It is also known as ‘hwan-gap’ and one will dress in their best, consumed the best cuisine and receives the best well wishes from everyone. The number of guests at the celebration indicates how well received the person is in his society circle.
Funerals
Mourning period for the dead can range from 3 months to 3 years, depending on who intimate the relationship is. Meals will still be served to the dead until they were buried in the ground. The location of burial must be well inspected and chosen by priests and geomancers. A wooden tablet made of chestnut wood for the deceased will be brought home and enshrine in the family shrine.
In the past, mothers having their first expectancy must go to their mother’s bedroom to deliver the child and recuperate by having seaweed soup with rice. No visitors are allowed into the house for 3 weeks and to indicate the child is a boy, pieces of charcoal and red peppers needs to be hang across the entrance place and if it is a girl, pieces of charcoal and green pine branches are tied to it. The name of the child is usually determined by the head or the eldest family member and after 100 days the baby was born, a big celebration will be held with lots guests being invited.
First night of New Year
It was believed that during the first night of New Year, a ghost will go around and try on people’s shoe. Unfortunately, if it finds a suitable one and like it a lot, it will take the shoes and the owner of the shoe will have bad luck for the rest of the year. Therefore, it is a tradition to keep away the shoes in order not to receive bad luck.
Men & Women
Korean is still a male dominated country, it is the guys; responsibility to work for the living of the family. Women will stay at home and be responsible to the home and their children. Under the Confucius code of conduct “male and female shall not sit close after the age of seven” and intimidate actions between singles of opposite sexes are not allowed. Hence, this policy resulted in strict controls over teenage dating which might even resulted in to waiting till they are 20-30 years old, and then they can date.
Marriage
In the past, marriage was arranged by the elders in the family and need both side of parents’ agreement before the wedding can take place. The parents’ criteria on their future in-laws will be according to the background, job prospect and education level for men, and the ability to fulfill domestic duties of marriages for the women. After marriage, the women does not take over the husband’s family name as in Korean culture, families are based on blood ties and not outsiders. One interesting custom is that when the celebration is coming to an end soon, the groom will be hang upside down by his friends and to be “tortured” by beating the groom’s sole of the feet to demand for bigger feast.
60th Birthday
It is considered as one of the special occasion in one’s lifetime because not many people get to live past the age of 60. It is also known as ‘hwan-gap’ and one will dress in their best, consumed the best cuisine and receives the best well wishes from everyone. The number of guests at the celebration indicates how well received the person is in his society circle.
Funerals
Mourning period for the dead can range from 3 months to 3 years, depending on who intimate the relationship is. Meals will still be served to the dead until they were buried in the ground. The location of burial must be well inspected and chosen by priests and geomancers. A wooden tablet made of chestnut wood for the deceased will be brought home and enshrine in the family shrine.
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