MODULE 4 –

TRADITION, FESTIVALS

AND CULTURE

South Korea is a country rich in culture and tradition.

The lineage of the Korean tradition helped to shape

up the modern South Korea. The country is a

vivacious platform to showcase the rich heritage

through festivals, dressing, food, lifestyle, arts and

crafts etc. Various temples, fortresses, monuments

etc. exhibit the tangible cultural heritage of South

Korea and the festivals, performing arts, customs,

lifestyle etc. exhibit the intangible cultural heritage of

South Korea.

C o n t e n t Pa r t n e r :

CUSTOMThe South Korean people observe a distinct

culture and way of life and this is reflected

through their living habits, food, dressing,

lifestyle, art and craft, family tradition etc.

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HANOKTraditional Korean House

A traditional Korean house is called

a Hanok. A hanok creates a living

space based on the coexistence of

man and nature. Since Korea has hot

summers and cold winters, the

'Ondol,' a floor-based heating system

and 'Daecheong,' a cool wooden floor

style hall were devised long ago to

help Koreans survive the chilly winters

and to block sunlight during summer.

These primitive types of heating and

air-conditioning were so effective that

they are still in use in many homes in

South Korea.

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HANBOKThe Unique Traditional Attire Of Korean People

Hanbok is the unique traditional attire of Korean people.

Before the arrival of Western-style clothing one hundred

years ago, hanbok was worn as everyday attire. Men wore

jeogori (Korean jackets) with baji (trousers), while women

wore jeogori with a chima (skirt).

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SEOLLAL OR

LUNAR NEW YEAR’S DAY

The major festivals of South Korea were the result of the mid

20th Century’s Agrarian community. Seollal or Lunar New

Year’s Day which is generally regarded as the most

important of all the traditional seasonal festivals, is

celebrated with a special festival food called tteokguk. The

festival is related with the ceremony of performing

the Sebae (New Year’s Bow) before the elders of one’s family

and neighborhood. After Sebae, the elders present New

Year’s gift money to the younger ones.

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DAEBOREUM (GREATER FULL MOON)

Another important seasonal festival called Daeboreum (Greater Full Moon) celebrates the fifteenth day of the first month of the year

by the lunar calendar. On that day, people eat special festival food called ogokbap, a dish made with five grains and served with an

assortment of cooked vegetables, play games aimed for the unity of the local community and perform rituals for good harvest.

People burn dry grass on the edges of paddy fields.

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CHUSEOKThanksgiving

Chuseok, which is held on the fifteenth day of the eighth

lunar month, consists of thanksgiving services in which

newly harvested crops and fruits are offered to the

ancestral spirits. Generally held to be as important as the

Lunar New Year’s Day, Chuseok is also one of the two

annuals occasions when all the family members gather

together.

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TRADITIONAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Korean music is a mélange of classical, folk and contemporary music.

Traditional Korean music has different types: the

jeongak or jeongga- enjoyed by the royalty and aristocracy of

Joseon; folk music including pansori, sanjo and japga;

jeongjae (court music and dance) performed for the King at

celebratory state events; music and dance connected with shamanic

and Buddhist traditions such as salpuri, seungmu, and beompae and

poetic songs adored by the elites such as gagok and sijo.

Korea has a wide range of musical instruments. These traditional

musical instruments are generally divided into three categories: wind

instruments such as the piri, daegeum, danso and taepyeongso;

stringed instruments such as the gayageum, geomungo, haegeum,

ajaeng and bipa; and percussion instruments such as the buk,

janggu, pyeonjong, pyeongyeong, kkwaenggwari and jing. Your

guests can purchase one or two musical instruments as a souvenir

from one of the many traditional markets in South Korea.

For more information, please click here

9FOLK DANCE

Korean culture is adorned with a great variety of colourful and alluring

folk dances such as salpurichum (spiritual purification

dance), Buchaechum (Fan Dance), pungmul nori (play with musical

instruments), gutchum (shamanic ritual dance), taepyeongmu (dance

of peace), hallyangchum (idler’s dance), geommu (sword dance),

talchum (mask dance), anseungmu (monk’s dance)d . Of

these, talchum (mask dance) and pungmul nori (play with musical

instruments) are known for their satirical streak towards the corrupt

aristocracy of Joseon dynasty and their close connection with rural

communities, which had long been the bedrock of Korean culture and

tradition. Most performances are presented in a marketplace or on the

fields and involve drumming, dancing and singing.

Where to see? The Korea House (Folk Performance)

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TOURIST FESTIVALS OF SOUTH KOREA

Boryeong Mud Festival

Boryeong Mud Festival is one of the most popular

festivals in the world and it attracts the maxima lot

of international tourists. Fully immersed in both

the mud and the festival’s vibrant atmosphere,

visitors enjoy mud wrestling, mud sliding and even

swimming in the giant mud bath. The adrenaline

junkies can try the marine mud-training course,

while those looking for something more relaxing

can chill in the mud massage zone. In the evening,

music and fireworks continue to have the party

going at the beach.

For more information, please click here

Andong Mask Dance Festival

As the name suggests Andong Mask Dance

Festival is held with the theme of mask and mask

dance. Andong’s culture and religions have great

value for remaining over the years with the various

cultures intact and is considered the capital of

Korean traditional culture. The Mask Dance Festival

has over 50 events and hands-on experience

programs including the National & International

Mask Dance Performance, World Mask

Competition, original mask performances, mask

dance learning, madang play, original puppet

plays, a world mask exhibit, mask making and

more.

For more information, please click here

Jinju Namgang Yudeung (Lantern) Festival

The highlights of the festival are the floating of

lanterns carrying wishes of the people along the

Namgang River and the parade of lanterns created

by the students. In addition, the festival features

gaejesik (lighting of lanterns in remembrance of

the Jinjuseong Fortress Battle veterans), an

exhibition of the world’s traditional lanterns,

Lighting ceremony, floating lanterns on the river,

Korean lantern exhibition, World traditional lantern

exhibition, traditional crafted lantern exhibition,

hanging wish-lantern, Lantern Exhibition etc.

:For more information, please click here

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Painting has always been a major genre of

Korean art since ancient times. The ancient

artists preferred depicting symbolic

interpretation of plants and animals and later the

day to day activities of ordinary people. Replicas

of famous Korean paintings like Ssireum (South

Korean Wrestling) by Kim Hong-do can be an

attractive souvenir for your guests.

KOREAN PAINTING

12POTTERY

Korean pottery, admired by the international collectors, is classified into three groups: Cheongja (blue-green

celadon), Buncheong (slip-coated stoneware) and Baekja (white porcelain). Celadon pottery is manifested by a gorgeous jade

blue surface and decorated by the unique Korean engrave technique. While some of the porcelain wares display a milky white

surface, many are decorated with a great variety of designs painted in oxidized iron, copper or the priceless cobalt blue dye

imported from Persia via China.

Where to see? The National Museum of Korea

BAEKJA

(WHITE PORCELAIN)

CHEONGJA

(BLUE-GREEN CELADON)

BUNCHEONG

(SLIP-COATED STONEWARE)

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The contemporary Korean handicrafts are the result

of the wide range of techniques used by ancient

Korean craftsmen and women to produce the items

they needed at home. The crafts of Korea exhibit a

selection such as wooden furniture such as

wardrobes, cabinets and tables, beautifully woven

baskets, boxes and mats with bamboo, wisteria or

lespedeza, masks, dolls and ceremonial ornaments

created using Korean mulberry paper etc.

Embroidery, decorative knot making and natural

dyeing are also important elements of traditional

Korean arts and crafts, which were widely wielded to

make attractive garments, household objects and

fashion accessories. These traditional crafts of Korea

can be a very attractive and important part of your

guests shopping.

Where to buy? Insadong Street, Seoul

KOREAN HANDICRAFTS

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Thus South Korea strikes a fine balance between modern and traditional way of living and hence attracts millions of

foreign tourists to explore this country with such mystical and rich cultural and natural heritage.

C o n t e n t Pa r t n e r :

THANK YOU

END OF MODULE 4.

Korea Tourism Contacts

Sandeep Dutta

Marketing Manager

Korea Tourism Organization, New Delhi

Email id: sandeep.ktoindia@gmail.com

Vanshika Kapoor Rekhi

Manager Trade and Public Relations

Korea Tourism organization, New Delhi

Email id: vanshika.kpr6@gmail.com