Feb 01, 2022

Lunar New Year 2022 [South Korea]




Today's Doodle welcomes the Year of the Tiger on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Celebrations begin with family gatherings, traditional food, and an air of anticipation for what's to come. Known in South Korea as Seollal, Lunar New Year typically lasts three days [the day before and after the new year]. Centered around charye—paying respect to elders—the new year is a time to remember a shared heritage and look forward to the future.

Numerous traditional regional dishes are prepared to welcome the new year, such as tteokguk [a rice cake soup]. When consumed, tteokguk represents a person’s lunar calendar birthday. Children especially look forward to this dish, and some even have multiple bowls in hopes they will grow more than they would in a single year! As entertainment for Lunar New Year’s gatherings, many families play games like Yutnori [a board game] and Jegichagi [paper toss]; or Yeonnaligi [kite flying]. Popular games like Go-Stop can get noisy, as it's believed that yelling at cards brings good luck!

Although customs vary across South Korea, everyone can agree that the Seollal is about enjoying delicious food, having fun, honoring ancestors, and being with family in hopes of good fortune for the year to come.

Happy Lunar New Year!