The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    14 injured as escalator reverses at Sunae Station in Bundang

  • 3

    Gov't to launch intensive crackdown against foreigners committing drug crimes

  • 5

    Dog meat traders condemn first lady, animal rights groups' push for ban

  • 7

    Netflix's new original 'Bloodhounds' to deliver cathartic action

  • 9

    INTERVIEWSpaceX's Starlink in Kyiv is wake-up call for Seoul

  • 11

    PHOTOSSubway escalator accident

  • 13

    Billy Graham Seoul Crusade celebrates 50th anniversary

  • 15

    Rising minimum wage burdens small biz owners: survey

  • 17

    Canada wildfires shroud New York in apocalyptic haze

  • 19

    White Cube to open space in Seoul

  • 2

    RM to attend Seoul festival to mark BTS' 10th anniv.

  • 4

    Korea falls to Italy in FIFA U-20 World Cup semifinals

  • 6

    Ad or song?: Coca-Cola Zero ad featuring NewJeans becomes marketing blueprint

  • 8

    Robot to conduct orchestra for 1st time in Korea

  • 10

    Dollar remittance, foreign exchange rules to be eased

  • 12

    'Leaving Las Vegas' director Mike Figgis puts Korea in spotlight in new film

  • 14

    Home gardening boom inspires plant adoption, specialized care services for leafy companions

  • 16

    NATO chief to chair emergency Ukraine meeting over dam

  • 18

    Yoon's labor reform drive sputters as umbrella union exits talks

  • 20

    Korean businesses seek tougher punishments for industrial espionage

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Sat, June 10, 2023 | 16:59
Travel & Food
Celebrating first full moon of lunar calendar amid pandemic
Posted : 2022-02-16 08:49
Updated : 2022-02-16 16:35
Lee Hae-rin
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
A family takes a picture in front of a giant full moon displayed at the entrance of the National Folk Museum in Jongno District, central Seoul, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin
A family takes a picture in front of a giant full moon displayed at the entrance of the National Folk Museum in Jongno District, central Seoul, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin

By Lee Hae-rin

An old Korean saying goes, "A good Jeongwol makes a good year."

Jeongwol Daeboreum is the day of the first full moon of the Lunar Year, which falls on Feb. 15 of this year's solar calendar. Carrying great importance, along with Lunar New Year and Chuseok, it is a day of wishing to the moon for a prosperous year ahead with a good harvest and well-being for one's family and community.

The full moon has long been a symbol of abundance in Korea's traditionally agrarian society. The people in any given village would gather to celebrate the year's first full moon by having a special meal together and playing several games to build a spirit of unity and cooperation.

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has suspended almost all regional festivals related to the holiday, there are several events in Seoul and ways to carry on the history and traditions of Jeongwol Daeboreum to maintain the communal spirit and good wishes for each other's good fortune.

A family takes a picture in front of a giant full moon displayed at the entrance of the National Folk Museum in Jongno District, central Seoul, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin
A giant full moon is installed at Changgyeong Palace in central Seoul, Sunday, to celebrate Jeongwol Daeboreum, the traditional holiday celebrating the first full moon of the lunar year. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin


Make a wish

The lunar calendar had been the country's main calendar until the Gregorian Solar calendar was introduced in 1896. Naturally, the movements of the moon had been an important factor in seasonal activities.

The year's first full moon was especially meaningful to Korean people, and wishing for a year's good harvest and health to the first full moon, which symbolizes prosperity and fecundity, is one of the typical ways to celebrate the event.

Changgyeong Palace in central Seoul offered a special night opening with an installation of a giant full moon from Feb. 11 to 17, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Visitors may enjoy serene views of the beautiful palace buildings and garden with the full moon installation.

The entrance fee for Changgyeong Palace is 1,000 won ($0.83) and the city offers an additional discount for children and visitors aged under 24.


A family takes a picture in front of a giant full moon displayed at the entrance of the National Folk Museum in Jongno District, central Seoul, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin
"Bureom," which consists of mixed hard-shelled nuts to be eaten on the morning of Jeongwol Daeboreum, is displayed during the holiday celebration at the National Folk Museum of Korea in Seoul, Feb. 13, 2013. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Breakfast

In the past, Koreans would start the morning of Jeongwol Daeboreum with a special breakfast ― a round of an "ear-quickening drink" and a handful of nuts.

The alcoholic beverage, which is thought to sharpen the ears and bring good news for the rest of the year, was served as an aperitif. It was brewed from the finest crops of the previous year and served cold. Any type of alcohol would do, but these days people would mostly have refined rice wine for the occasion.

Along with the drink, "bureom," or a selection of nuts, was served to wish for good health. The word in Korean has a double meaning of hard-shelled nuts as well as a skin boil, which was a common malady in the past. The name is a play on words, as biting on the nuts was thought to protect from illness.

By imbibing the brewed drink along with chestnuts, peanuts and walnuts, people believed they would be safe from sweeping illnesses and have healthy teeth. Men and women of all ages, regardless of their ability to drink, had the special breakfast on the morning of Jeongwol Daeboreum, according to historic records.

A family takes a picture in front of a giant full moon displayed at the entrance of the National Folk Museum in Jongno District, central Seoul, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin
Bottles of refined rice wine are displayed at Soolsool store, a specialty shop offering a fine selection of Korean traditional drinks in Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin

Many types of refined rice wine are available in convenience stores and markets. However, some trendy bottle shops that sell traditional beverages are easy to find in Seoul, such as "Soolsool store" near Chungmuro Station on Seoul Metro lines 3 and 4. The shop offers a selection of traditional drinks including makgeolli, made by young and master brewers of the country.

A family takes a picture in front of a giant full moon displayed at the entrance of the National Folk Museum in Jongno District, central Seoul, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin
A family plays tug-of-war in the field by the National Folk Museum of Korea in Seoul, Sunday, to celebrate Jeongwol Daeboreum. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin

Traditional seasonal games

Approximately one fifth of the almost 200 seasonal customs celebrated over the year in Korea are related to Jeongwol Daeboreum.

The National Folk Museum of Korea offered a diverse selection of seasonal customs experiences and performances from Feb. 12 to 15, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors may experience traditional games including tug-of-war, which were often played among villagers during the holiday.

Jwibullori, which means "mouse fire game" in Korean, is another traditional custom that is representative of the Daeboreum holiday and related to the country's agricultural background.

In the past, Koreans would set fire to parts of the farming fields on the night of Jeongwol Daeboreum to exterminate mice and other pests that are harmful to crops, in preparation for the year's farming. Since the country's independence in 1945, the tradition developed into a can-swinging game by putting burning charcoal inside empty cans coming from the U.S. military. People would tell fortunes based on the size of the fire set to the fields and even compete with neighboring villagers to see who had the bigger fire.

A family takes a picture in front of a giant full moon displayed at the entrance of the National Folk Museum in Jongno District, central Seoul, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin
Members of Sori Eco Love, an environmental civic group of Songpa District, enjoy the traditional game "Jwibullori" with LED lights near Seongnae Stream in southeastern Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap

In Songpa District, a modern, safe and eco-friendly version of Jwibullori was offered on the night of the holiday. Sori Eco Love, a local environmental civic group, performs Jwibullori with LED lighting along Seongnae Stream to celebrate the tradition of the full moon festival and bring the message of protecting the environment, by minimizing waste during the event.

"It's a pity that the young generation nowadays seems to experience a sense of loss. We wish that people would appreciate the great heritage of the past generations and carry on the good tradition, as well as take care to conserve the environment," Yim Hong-soon, the head of the civic group, said to The Korea Times, Tuesday.

A family takes a picture in front of a giant full moon displayed at the entrance of the National Folk Museum in Jongno District, central Seoul, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin
Traditional Daeboreum dishes are prepared during a celebration at the National Folk Museum of Korea in Seoul, Feb. 13, 2013. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Daeboreum meal with seasonal delicacies

The traditional meal served on Jeongwol Daeboreum offers nourishing vegetable-based food, made of seasonal ingredients that are both rich in flavor and found in abundance.

"Ogokbap" (five-grain rice) is a bowl of rice cooked with the grains harvested from the previous year, including millet, sorghum, red beans and beans ― all of which were valued in agricultural communities as a means of sustaining life.

Served together with ogokbap is a selection of nine to 10 seasoned dried vegetables, which are also gathered from last year's harvest. Seasonal vegetables such as dried slices of young pumpkin and eggplants, reeds, bracken and mushrooms are stir-fried with sesame oil and soy sauce.

The combination of rice and vegetables was to be served separately and eaten in roll wraps of dry seaweed. If mixed, as with bibimbap, the meal would represent bushy weeds, a bad omen the year's harvest. If served separately, the meal was believed to drive away the heat during the hottest days of the summer and grant good health.

Ogokbap and seasoned vegetables are Korean's traditional way of awakening the palate that had been dormant over the long winter and ingesting dietary fiber and minerals for good health. The foods are available at markets and grocery stores during the holiday season.


Emaillhr@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Rising minimum wage burdens small biz owners: survey Rising minimum wage burdens small biz owners: survey
2IPO market regains vigor on bullish KOSPI IPO market regains vigor on bullish KOSPI
3OpenAI explores investment opportunities in Korean startups: Sam Altman OpenAI explores investment opportunities in Korean startups: Sam Altman
4China reaches out to Korean Assembly to counterweigh Yoon's bet on US China reaches out to Korean Assembly to counterweigh Yoon's bet on US
5Resurging household loans pose challenge for BOK's rate policy Resurging household loans pose challenge for BOK's rate policy
6S. Korea may see rise in NK defectors as Pyongyang mulls reopening borders S. Korea may see rise in NK defectors as Pyongyang mulls reopening borders
7SPC bolsters PR activities in US SPC bolsters PR activities in US
8Hyundai Motor partners with Spider-Man animation to envision future mobility Hyundai Motor partners with Spider-Man animation to envision future mobility
9Japanese business leaders pledge to support Busan's Expo bid Japanese business leaders pledge to support Busan's Expo bid
10Yoon's $40,000 GNI by 2027 goal seems unlikely prospect Yoon's $40,000 GNI by 2027 goal seems unlikely prospect
Top 5 Entertainment News
1China's hallyu restrictions likely to continue unless Seoul-Beijing ties improve China's hallyu restrictions likely to continue unless Seoul-Beijing ties improve
2Gang Dong-won, Park Jeong-min team up for Joseon-era thriller 'War and Revolt' Gang Dong-won, Park Jeong-min team up for Joseon-era thriller 'War and Revolt'
3[INTERVIEW] CIX talks about team chemistry, youth theme INTERVIEWCIX talks about team chemistry, youth theme
4Netflix's new original 'Bloodhounds' to deliver cathartic actionNetflix's new original 'Bloodhounds' to deliver cathartic action
5'Leaving Las Vegas' director Mike Figgis puts Korea in spotlight in new film 'Leaving Las Vegas' director Mike Figgis puts Korea in spotlight in new film
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group