New Years Day in Seoul

Trying on traditional Korean clothing.

I’m not going to recount every day of our time in Seoul chronologically as I have done with the previous entries.  Instead I intend to cover a few of the highlights.  This will leave out a lot of writing about subway stations.

Valerie and I were extremely fortunate.  On our first trip to South Korea, we were able to spend New Year, perhaps the most important day of the year, in the traditional South Korean manner: by visiting family, paying respects to the ancestors, followed by the elders, and then going out for the afternoon.  We were lucky to be able to borrow Sunny’s family for this.

On New Year ’s Day, Febuary 2^nd, we woke up early (around 7 o’clock, which is early for us full time students) and after a light breakfast, took the subway out to where Sunny’s grandmother lives with her aunt, uncle, and cousins.   The train ride took an hour and I was the one who ended up staying awake the whole time.  The trains were surprisingly empty at this time.  It was explained to me that Seoul empties out during the New Year because everyone is returning to their hometowns to visit their families. 

On the way to the train station.

We arrived at a station between Incheon and Seoul, and got off the train.  We crossed the tracks, and then a river, and finally arrived at an apartment complex.  Many elderly people live in the complex so there was a step in the elevator so those who live on the top floors can reach the buttons. 

When we got to the apartment we were welcomed and introduced to various family members who had gathered.  Sunny’s grandmother also spoke some Japanese.  What she spoke was very basic but entirely correct.  As a child, it is probable that her elementary schooling was taught entirely in Japanese, as Korean language was reduced to an elective by the Imperial authorities and the colonial administration.

Sunny’s eldest uncle used all his best English on us, and we were able to understand pretty well.  (Most of the young people present probably spoke English as well, but may have been too embarrassed to use it.)

During this time the altar was prepared.  The altar consisted of a decorative paneled screen behind a low table.  On the table was piled a huge amount of food.  Closest to the viewer were stacks of fruit.  The next row contained some rice dishes, as well as the typical (in Korea) fried New Year’s foods.  One layer further was the fish.  Several types of fish were used, some normal and one rather pricey one which is special for marking The New Year.  Last, and perhaps most important, were three bowls of rice; one for each family member who had passed away.  In each of these bowls a metal spoon was placed upright.  On the other dishes, metal chopsticks were laid across the top of the dish or placed upright in the food.  (Therefore, it is worth noting that in most East Asian countries it is extremely 失礼, that is, impolite to stand chopsticks or other utensils upright in the dish.) 

After all was in place the family gathered together everybody arranged themselves in rows in front of the altar.  We had been coached before, so were prepared when it came time to bow before the altar.  The bow is done by placing the left hand over the right hand, kneeling, and then pressing one’s forehead to your hands which should now be planted flat on the floor in front of you.  The bow lasts three seconds.  The whole process is then repeated.  Luckily, due to the hierarchy, Valerie and I were in the back along with Sunny who is the youngest in the family, so we didn’t have to worry too much about other people noticing any mistakes that I was making.

After respect was paid to the ancestors, it was time to pay respect to the living.  Sunny’s grandmother, father, and two uncles then arranged themselves and we all turned to face them.  We all reorganized ourselves and performed the bow again.  Then everybody got money!

Or toshidama, in Japanese.  (I have no idea what it is in Korean or English.)  Money is given to the younger members of the family in envelopes on New Years.  In China my impression is that red envelopes are the norm, but those we received were yellow or had polka dots.  I had been warned, but was still somewhat surprised to actually receive a rather large sum of money in total from people who I had only just met, the family of my friend. 

Now that the most important ceremonial aspects of the day were over, it was time for what I personally consider a highlight of every day: Lunch.  The food that had been placed on the altar was brought to the kitchen, added to the larger pot from whence it came, and placed on the four or so low table which had been laid out across the room.   

Sunny’s grandmother also insisted, at one point, on feeding Valerie and I by hand.  In this she was more focused on Valerie than on me, but it was still an interesting experience.  It is something that was entirely foreign and although I was told it was somewhat normal, it’s difficult to for me to understand exactly what was going on.  As sweet as it was, I’ll just be content that I avoided most of that attention.

(On a side note, today I received a Skype call from Sunny and her family who were celebrating her grandmother's birthday.  Apparently I came up as a topic of conversation and she wanted to see me again.)

Thank you Mr Sejong.

After another hour or the three of us left and took the train back to the city.  We headed for Insa-dong, Seoul’s historical main street.  This street is close to most of the government buildings and the US Embassy, which was really ugly.  As one approaches the main palace, there are several large monuments in the center of the street.  One is a tribute to the man who is credited with stopping one of the Japanese invasions and was decorated with some lovely pictures of samurai getting owned.  Further along the street is a large monument on top of an underground museum all dedicated to King Sejong the Great.  King Sejong is perhaps best known for creating Hangul, the amazing Korean script.  It takes an incredibly complex language and assigns it a script that took a dunce like me about an hour to learn how to read.  Even a month later I can still sound out most written Korean, even if I have no clue what it means. 

Go America!

This guy apparently took out a lot of Japanese.

At the end of the street is the former imperial palace.  As it was New Years Day, the admission fee had been waved and it was quite crowded.  The palace is sprawling and quite beautiful.  They had also opened up some of the buildings so we were able to go inside and warm up.  The Korean National Folk Museum is also located on the palace grounds, so we were able to see a free performance by traditional entertainers outside the main gates.

何で皆ふうふみたいって言った？

That's one brave kid.

After this we headed for the neighborhood around the palace, which is apparently famous for boutique stores and coffee shops.  If I ever live in Seoul, this is where I want to live.  We had warm drinks and cake inside a three story Nescafe café.  After this we wandered through another touristy street that reminded me a bit of Kyoto, before heading back to Sunny’s apartment.

When I'm super rich living in South Korea, I'll live in this neighborhood.

It's a party, as usual.