Chuseok 2024 is on September 17. Get to know the essentials for food, family, and fun. What is Chuseok? Chuseok (추석), also known as Hangawi, marks a zenith in the Korean calendar, rivaling only the lunar New Year in its cultural significance. Often likened to Thanksgiving, this festival is observed on the 15th day of…
The jar’s curves are full yet simple. Its white color is pure but not cold, and its glaze shines warmly without being flashy. The humble Korean moon jar has captivated the world and is experiencing a huge resurgence in popularity. The international craze for moon jars first started in the UK. It began in 2006,…
Three Giants of Joseon Art Jeong Seon, Kim Hong-do, and Shin Yun-bok are among the most representative painters of Korea’s Joseon period, a 500 year dynasty which lasted from 1392-1897. These artists’ works reflect the customs, landscapes, and spirit of Joseon, marking an important era of Korean painting history. Their works are fundamental to Korean…
There is a scene in an episode of the sitcom Kim’s Convenience, where a father asks his daughter’s date when the Korean War started, just to test the suitor’s Korean-ness and make sure he is worthy of a date with his daughter. Passing a test like this may not be a concern for most people.…
Walking into a Buddhist temple for the first time, I was blown away by the blanket of color hanging overhead. The sun bounced off endless rows of paper lanterns, creating an ethereal kaledioscope of color that swayed gently in the May breeze. With such a vibrant atmosphere, everyone’s spirits seemed to lift as they entered…
Korea Independence Movement Day, or the March 1st Movement [Samiljeol (삼일 운동)] first occurred on March 1, 1919, and was one of the earliest recorded public displays of Korean resistance to Japan’s colonization of Korea from 1910 to 1945. Celebrated as a holiday today, this day was a pivotal turning point in Korean history. Origin…
Happy Year of the Blue Dragon! The Korean Zodiac is a repeating cycle of 12 years, with each year being represented by an animal and its reputed attributes. It is based on the lunar calendar and this year’s New Year’s Day, or Seollal, falls on February 10, 2024. Seollal is a time of joy, family…
Seollal (Lunar New Year’s Day) is one of the largest holidays in Korea, and in 2024 it is celebrated on February 10. There are many wonderful Seollal traditions to experience, such as eating delicious tteokguk, wearing hanbok, and playing games like yutnori, but perhaps the one tradition that is most loved and easiest to try…
Happy Korean New Year! Celebrating the New Year, also known as Seollal (설날), is a serious matter for Koreans. So much so that we often celebrate it twice a year – first on the Gregorian calendar New Year’s Day (shinjeong) on January 1st. Then once again on the Lunar New Year’s Day (gujeong), which lands…
Like water is shaped by its container, we also form our destiny to some degree. The face is a living form and keeps changing through our lifestyle and mindset. Everyone’s face is unique. Gwansang, or the ancient Korean practice of face reading, contends that people’s capabilities, qualifications, and even destinies can be ascertained by interpreting faces.…