Parents celebrate the first birthday of their baby at a large dining hall in this file photo. First birthday ceremonies have become more boisterous as parents have chosen to have only one or two children in recent years. / Korea Times |
 By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
A 27-year-old housewife threw a party last week marking the first birthday of her son at a large dining establishment in southern Seoul.
Even though she and her husband are tightening their purse strings due to the global economic downturn, she wanted to give her baby a big, memorable moment like others do.
``It is the first birthday of our first baby. As parents, we would like to make it as special as we can,'' Kim said, refusing to give her full name.
The couple spent about 4.5 million won ($3,380) including 1.7 million won for meals for nearly 70 people, 400,000 won for the main celebration table, 300,000 won for a photo album and 200,000 won for presents given out to guests.
However, she said she spent too little compared to what other parents usually spend.
``We invited our parents, relatives and close friends only. If we had asked even colleagues and alumni to come, we would have spent much more than that,'' she said. ``One of my friends who celebrated her baby's first birthday at a luxurious hotel in Seoul spent more than 12 million won.''
She confessed that it was hard to prepare for a first birthday celebration, even harder than when she prepared for her wedding ceremony.
``Some say that the first birthday ceremony is the second wedding. After I went through the whole process, I realized that it was even harder than the wedding,'' she said.
A first birthday celebration, which used to be a family affair, has becomes a bigger, more boisterous event.
Homey Celebration for First Birthday
When medical science failed to cure many diseases and malnutrition was rampant long ago, infants and toddlers rarely survived to their first birthday.
Thus, a first birthday ceremony, called ``doljanchi'' here, has been celebrated at homes to rejoice a baby's survival.
The highlight of the ritual is to foretell babies' future through a grabbing event, ``doljabi'' in Korean.
If the birthday baby picks a brush, it is believed that he or she will be a scholar.
A bundle of thread means the child is going to live long while money symbolizes wealth.
Rice is also arrayed with hopes that the baby will never go hungry, which was an important issue when people often suffered famines.
For a boy, assortments include a bow and arrow, which presumes that he is going to be a military commander.
A scissor or needle is placed instead for a girl, which means the chooser is going to grow up to be a great craftsman.
Family members also express gratitude to ``samsin," three gods believed to take care of their baby while he or she grows up, by serving plain rice, seaweed soup and rice cakes.
For the celebration, they prepare a special main table on which rice cakes of rainbow colored layers, highly stacked colorful candies and fruits are displayed.
Guests give gold rings and clothes as gifts, praying for longevity and wellness for the birthday baby.
Modern Doljanchi Booming Despite Economic Recession
It costs more than a party at home, but there are no signs of decreasing demand for doljanchi, even as the global economic crisis hits the nation.
Seven Springs, a local casual restaurant chain which is famous for fresh, affluent salad bars, has offered catering services specializing in first birthday celebrations since 2002 and still enjoys full bookings.
``When the store was open, seats were full on weekends only. But now we have almost full reservations, even on weekdays,'' said Namgung Ah-ram, manager of a branch near Hongik University, also known as Hongdae, in Seoul.
Even though the global economic crisis occurred after the second half of the year, reservations haven't changed.
``Parents who plan to throw a first birthday party have to book a place at least four months in advance,'' said the manager, who has been working at the restaurant for three years. ``As for the Hongdae branch, all seats for doljanchi services are booked up solid until next May.''
The grabbing event has also became more varied.
Added to the assortments are microphones; which are meant to mean the picker will become an entertainer; a computer mouse representing success in the high-tech field and even a passport which parents prepare with hopes that their baby becomes a diplomat.
A series of photos taken from when the baby was a fetus is presented through a beam projector.
Newly taken pictures at a photo studio behind the party hall are also displayed to allow guests to appreciate the child.
Parents prepare thank-you gifts such as small soap bars and hand towels to give visitors afterwards.
Posh 'Doljanchi'
A local sociologist analyzed that new features shown in doljanchi are likely to come from the recent tendency of parents to have fewer children than in the past.
``Doljanchi has become more important as parents tend to have one or two children only. As such, they want to spend more money on the event,'' Professor Lee Chang-soon at Kyunghee University in Seoul told The Korea Times. ``Party culture from the West is also likely to affect people here.''
Commercialism seemingly incited people to have a bash for a first birthday celebration, she pointed out.
``Business circles continuously search for something that people can spend money on. It appears that this pursuit conjoined parent's vanity that their children are special,'' she said.
The increase in spending levels also contributed to the modern doljanchi, Lee examined, citing trips.
``South Koreans used to travel to Jeju Island for honeymoons but nowadays many people easily go aboard just for sightseeing. Likewise, people tend to consider first birthday celebrations, like weddings, great events in which to invest great sums of money.''
The origin of the new culture of doljanchi remains unclear but the professor said several years ago, only the privileged class had big parties for first birthday ceremonies, sometimes with financial support from their parents.
Like St. Valentine's Day, when South Koreans give and take big bundles of chocolate or expensive presents, the modern celebration of first birthdays, Lee said, became a ritual that everyone must go through.
``It costs a lot to prepare the celebration. For a newly married couple with difficulty buying a home in Seoul, it must be a great burden,'' the sociologist said.
``I don't see it as bad or negative because doljanchi can be good refreshment to boring daily lives. But the problem is people get stressed out too much while preparing the event and feel financial burden,'' she added.
ksy@koreatimes.co.kr
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무디스, 스페인·伊·포르투갈 신용등급 강등
