South Korea which occupies approximately the southern half of Korean Peninsula in East Asia has captivated great influx of visitors around the globe. Before the 17th Asian Games 2014 which was held in Incheon, one of the major cities in South Korea, this place has been already known as a good venue for travelers who are in search for unique culture and tradition that has spawned after several Korean dynasties.

The hosting of the 17th Asian Games not only proved the country’s economic and political capability but pronounces a safe and welcoming environment to travel, do business or spend a vacation. Like any other countries, South Korea has also official holidays which are distinct opportunities for visitors to savor a different experience and witness how the country established a distinguished recognition in the world.

Below are the lists of South Korea’s public holidays:

New Year’s Day – January 1, Thursday

Regardless of culture or tradition, counties across the world are celebrating the New Year’s Day which marks the start of the Gregorian calendar. In South Korea, people are celebrating generally at midnight, between the New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day with fireworks display and family gatherings. Children are often receiving gifts from elders. Sparkling wine, various Korean delicacies on the table and wearing of new dresses are some of the country’s old traditions. People are also having resolutions with the belief to face the New Year with a renewed and better living.

Seollal or Korean New Year – February 18-20, Wednesday-Friday

The Korean New Year is traditionally celebrated in three days: the day before, the day itself and the day after the Korean New Year. This is the most important holiday in the country which basically gives focus on family bonding. This also marks the beginning of the Chinese calendar. Fire crackers, champagne, foods, luck money placed in red envelopes and offerings to deities are common observances anywhere in the place. Most people observe the tradition of wearing red, participation in dragon dances along with clashing cymbals and beating of gongs. A few days of celebration also include festival parades and attractive lanterns which decorate the streets with colors and vibrancy.

Independence Movement Day – March 1, Sunday

Originally known as the “Samil Independence Movement” or the “March First Movement”, this day on the year 1919 marked the independence of Korea from the regressive Japanese empire. This is also called by some as the Bloody History of the Korean Independence Movement because during this day that millions of Koreans participated in demonstrations, thousands were killed and wounded. Koreans are commemorating this important holiday through re-enactments of the events that took place during the day they fought for their independence as well as the flying of their flags. Various campaigns are also done to raise awareness on the younger generations about the importance of their independence such as slogan and poster making contests.

Labor Day – May 1, Sunday

The start of the spring season is also a day to celebrate among workers. Across the globe, Labor Day is celebrated similarly with various activities like in South Korea which includes holding parades while there are demonstrations for some unions. Overall, this is the day where workers are given importance and are provided resting day.

Children’s Day – May 5, Thursday

This celebration is also commemorated in many countries around the world. This is to protect the well-being of children globally. In South Korea, they rejoice this day through giving of gifts to children as a way of showing them love, care and value. Traditional games are also encouraged to be played by the children. Theaters, amusement parks, zoos and museums are offering free admissions for children. Also, public activities are prepared as well as civic parades.

Buddha’s Birthday – May 25, Monday

Although there is much confusion as to the real birth date of the prince Buddha, Buddhist people in South Korea are celebrating this significant day to honor the birth and enlightenment of Buddha. Lantern parades or festival are done during this day. Evening parade is also done in some parts of the country like Seoul.

Memorial Day – June 6, Saturday

This day pays honor to the patriotic deeds of military men and women of Korea who fought during the Korean War and other battles. People usually give importance to this day through visiting and laying down flowers on the graves of the dead during the war. Also, officials and civilians hold programs to commemorate the bravery and nationalism of their war heroes. Korean flags are likewise displayed on front doors of their homes.

Constitution Day – July 17, Friday

The First assembly of Korea was done on July 17, 948 where the first constitution was declared and formally adopted. Not much festivity is done during this day. One of the most common activities done is the marathon where Koreans run in long distance race to show their respect and solidarity.

Mid-Autumn Festival – September 26-29, Saturday-Tuesday

Also known as the “Thanksgiving Day”, this 3-day festivity is more ceremonious than the Spring Festival. The common tradition of Korean people is the giving of gifts to their loved ones: relatives or friends. This is also the time for family get together where they gather together for a feast and ceremonies for ancestors are also done. Women usually wear colorful dresses and the family dance together under the brilliant light of the moon. The sweeping of their ancestors’ tombs are also done on this day. Thanksgiving ceremonies are likewise observed for bountiful harvest.

National Foundation Day – October 3, Saturday

For many Koreans, this day is called Gaecheonjeol which means the “day of the opening of heaven” where they believed that the Supreme Divine regent came down from heaven to live with humans. This day embarks the creation of the state of ancient Korea known as Gojoseon and is one of the most significant events in the Korean history. Street parades and other civic activities are done to commemorate this important event.

Hangeul Proclamation day – October 9, Friday

The monarch Sejong the Great of the 15th century has proclaimed the native Korean alphabet. The marking of the Korean alphabet which is used in their native language is very commemorative among Koreans. Commemorative activities are done during this day such as parades, civic programs and hanging of their flags. This day is also an invitation to others that learning Korean language is enjoyable and the celebration is amongst one of their most valuable cultural asset.

Christmas day – December 25, Friday

Like other Christian nations, South Korea’s Christians consider Christmas Day as a significant celebration commemorating the birth of the savior. Many festive activities are observed by Christians in South Korea during this day such as exchanging of presents and family gatherings for midnight festivity. This is considered as a family exclusive affair by most where they take break from work and spend time for families. Churches are attractively decorated where Christmas themed and joyous songs are sung during masses. Children are also given gifts as well as parties are organized in many families and companies or organizations.

Knowing more about Korea is spending time during their holidays. Experience Korea and its holiday celebrations and know how this country is considered unique among the rest of the nations in the world…..

Photo by Damian Bere

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Mud madness this year starts on July 19 and concludes on July 28.

It’s a Mud World Out There

Boryeong Mud Festival (Photo by hojusaram)

A country can’t grow much in a vast expanse of mud. Instead of pushing for agriculture that might not be as lucrative, enterprising South Koreans thought of marketing mud cosmetics and making them more appetizing especially to Western residents who work in South Korea. The result is one big mud festival that is the most internally attended of South Korea’s biggest festivals.

The festival kicks off on the third week of July, but it is during the final weekend that the “mud-ness” reaches a frenzied peak.

The two-week-long festivities open with a good helping of mud dancing and percussion and extravagant fireworks. Truckloads of Boryeong mud are dug from the mud flats and dumped into the Daecheon Beach, a 10-kilometer-long tidal flat on the west coast of Boryeong which becomes the “Mud Experience Land” for these two weeks in summer. But it’s not just all mud, as the Daecheon Beach is just as excellent and, unlike the mud, clean for swimming.

Much Ado About Mud

There are plenty of activities that go beyond wallowing in mud pools and pulling a solitary mud self-massage. Certainly, a lot of other activities are more physical than mud marathons.

Mud slides are made for all ages, while mud wrestling events are geared for the more adventurous. The artistic can join colored mud body painting contest, while the architecturally creative can put up mud creations for the sculpture contest.

For the really intrepid, there are mud skiing competitions, Mudflat obstacle relays, and mud futsal. Of course, the children are not left out, and are installed their own Kid’s mud land. There’s also a mud prison for those who want to serve (mock) jail time.

A mud fountain is also erected for those seeking eternal youth. After all, that’s what facials and body wraps are for, and here, you can get them all for free and for as often as you like in the stretch of two weeks.

Boryeong Mud Festival, despite its moniker, offers good clean fun. Certainly, beach parties and loud music go on all day and night, but there is practically fun for everyone. Street parades, cultural performances, concerts and fantastic fireworks display round up the festivities and make for entertaining digressions if mud starts to look drab and gray.

History of Boryeong Mud Festival

Attracting more than 2 million international visitors a year, the Boryeong Mud Festival is to South Korea as La Tomatina is to Spain. Both are opportunities to make a mess of oneself and suspend reasonable thought for a moment to simply just have fun. But unlike the La Tomatina Festival (which just spontaneously rose out of a vegetable-throwing incident), the Boryeong Mud Festival arose from a necessity to market Boryeong mud cosmetics that are said to contain essential minerals for better skin health.

Indeed, a large assortment of mud products are sold at the festival: mud body cleansers, mud packs, shampoos, sun block lotion, cleansing cream are packaged for retail consumption. They don’t come cheap, however, so if you want to get all the benefits of Boryeong mud and then some, get down and dirty and pack away a good helping for use at home if you don’t mind to pay extra luggage.

For the Boryeong Mud Festival video:

Here’s how festival revelers get wet, wild and dirty!

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South Korea public holidays are a combination of state holidays and celebrations of age-old traditions, so a visit to the country around these events will lend an insider perspective on how its people accommodate changes while it holds fast to its traditions. Below is the South Korea public holidays schedule 2014.

New Year’s Day – Wednesday, 1 January 2014
Like the rest of its Asian neighbors, South Korea observes the first day of the first month of the Gregorian calendar.

Seollal (Lunar New Year) – Thursday to Saturday, 30 January – 1 February 2014
The Korean Lunar New Year is celebrated for three days: the day before, the day of, and the day after. Seollal, as the New Year is locally called, is one of the most widely celebrated occasions in South Korea. The festivities are an opportunity for families to return to their provinces to celebrate the holidays with their parents and relatives. On this day, children perform the “sebae”, a deep traditional bow before their elders as they wish them a blessed New Year. In exchange, elders give the children “pocket money” in luck bags adorned with silk designs. This is also an occasion to wear “hanbok”, the traditional dress made from bright colorful fabric made of simple lines with no pockets. Traditional games like flying kites and spinning tops are played, and traditional foods like “ttokguk” (soup with sliced rice cakes) are eaten to signify becoming a year older.

Independence Movement Day – Saturday, 1 March 2014
On this day in 1919, a group of students declared independence from Japan, an incident that sparked a nationwide civil protest. What came to be known as the March 1st or the Samil Movement eventually paved the way for the founding of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. Today, this state holiday is remembered with the reading of the declaration in a public ceremony held in Tapgol Park in Seoul.

Children’s Day – Monday, 5 May 2014
The well-being of children is institutionalized in South Korea. On this day, children are given special attention and brought to amusement parks, museums and zoos for a day filled with fun and games.

Buddha’s Birthday – Tuesday, 6 May 2014
Closely related to Vesak (which celebrates the birth, enlightenment and ascending to nirvana of Buddha), Buddha’s birthday, taking place as a month-long event called the Lotus Lantern Festival, is celebrated in South Korea on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month. On this day, Buddhist shrines and temples all over the country are ablaze with lanterns, hold solemn rituals and are filled with the devout performing merits. Lit lanterns are carried in evening parades.

Memorial Day – Friday, 6 June 2014
South Koreans honor the men and women who risked and lost their lives in defense of the country. Commemoration ceremonies take place all over the country on this day, with the largest ceremony happening in the National Cemetery in the country’s capital, Seoul.

Liberation Day – Friday, 15 August 2014
On this day in 1945, Korea was liberated from Japanese control after the latter’s surrender to the Allies. Three years after, the Republic of Korea was founded. The day is traditionally celebrated at the Sejong Center for Performing Arts with top government officials and key personalities of the South Korean army in attendance. At noon, the large bell of Bosingak Pavillion is rung to commemorate those who fought and died in the struggle for independence.

Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day) – Sunday to Tuesday, 7-9 September 2014
Along with Seollal, Chuseok is a major South Korean holiday that, like the South Korean New Year, is celebrated on the day before, the day of and the day after. State offices and most businesses are closed on this day, and there appears an exodus from the cities to the countryside as families celebrate the duration of the holidays by going back to their ancestral towns. Elaborate meals are prepared for the Thanksgiving and these are shared with the departed members of the family in a ritual called “charye” or ancestor memorial service. Afterwards, families go to the burial mounds to clean the tombs and spend the dusk gazing at the full harvest moon. Increasingly, families take outdoor excursions after the obligatory rituals.

National Foundation Day – Friday, 3 October 2014
Korea as a nation goes as far back as 2333 B.C. (South Korea as a sovereign state only came after World War II.) To celebrate this day, a solemn religious ceremony is performed on an altar atop Mt. Manisan in Ganghwado. The altar was thought to have been constructed by the god-king Dangun in gratitude to his forebears.

Hangeul Day – Thursday, 9 October 2014
On this day in 1446, the Korean alphabet was instituted by the publication of Hunmin Jeongeum (a document that described the correct and proper sounds of the Korean language).

Christmas Day – Thursday, 25 December 2014
The birth of the Christians’ savior is celebrated on this day, and Christian families in South Korea celebrate this occasion along with the rest of the western world.

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The following South Korean holidays are slated for 2013.

New Year’s Day – January 1
South Korea welcomes the new year based on the Gregorian calendar.

Seollal (Korean New Year) – February 9-11
Seollal is considered to the country’s most important holiday. Celebrations for this day are more widespread that the January 1 holiday. It usually lasts for three days. People spend time with their families and close friends.

Independence Movement Day – March 1
On March 1, 1919, some Korean nationalist students declared the country’s independence in Seoul which then sparked a civil protest all over Korea. This later brought about the events that established the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. It is also called the March 1st Movement or Samil Movement.

Children’s Day – May 5
As the name suggests, this holiday celebrates everything about the children. Parents take them on trips to the zoo or the park and spend time with them to play games and other activities.

Buddha’s Birthday – May 17
This holiday falls on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month. Buddhist temples are decorated with lanterns and some hold parades on the Sunday before Buddha’s birthday.

Memorial Day – June 6
Much like the Memorial Day in other countries, this day honors the people, civilians and military personnel alike, who gave their lives for their country. Ceremonies are held at the Seoul National Cemetery.

Liberation Day – August 15
Also known as Gwangbokjeol or “Restoration of Light Day”, it celebrates the “Victory over Japan Day” that freed Korea from colonial forces in 1945. Three years later, the South Korean government was established on the same date. Public and private establishments are encouraged to display their national flag.

Chuseok – September 18-20
This Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. This Korean Thanksgiving celebrates the bountiful harvest farmers have during this time and is considered to be the country’s second most important holiday after Seollal. Many Korean families make the trip to their ancestral homes and towns.

National Foundation Day – October 3
This holiday commemorates the founding of the first state of the Korean nation, Gojeseon. While history claims that the occasion happened on the 3rd day of the 10th lunar month, present-day South Korea celebrates the day based on the Gregorian calendar. This holiday is also refered to as “Heaven-opened Day”.

Hangeul Day – October 9
On Hangeul Day, Koreans celebrate the invention and establishment of the Korean native alphabet.

Christmas Day – December 25
Christianity is a major religion in South Korea, and Christmas is celebrated much like it is in other countries.

Holidays in South Korea can fall in any of the following categories: National Celebration Days, National Flag Raising Days and Public Days Off. National Celebration Days are holidays that mark joyous occasions in South Korean history and culture. National Flag Raising days encourage people to put up the Korean flag in their homes or establishments. Public Days off usually apply to government and public offices, but some private businesses also follow it.

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