설날, Solnal, Korean new year
What is 설날?
New Year's Day is the lunar new year, which is one of the holidays in Korea. In Asia, most of the countries such as China, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam, as well as Korea, have the lunar new year.
Originally, Lunar New Year has the meaning of a sacred time for the ancestors who passed away.
During the Lunar New Year, we have time to offer sacrifices to our ancestors, like many of you, we are very busy meeting relatives and cousins that we haven't seen since last New Year's Day.
It seems to have a similar meaning to a festival, like Christmas in other countries!
But it is very family oriented! You know what I mean, haha
It must be a precious time for everyone to gather together to cook and eat rice cake soup, 떡국 and talk about good things!
What is the origin of 설날?
It can be guessed from past records in China.
There is a record of worshiping the god of the sun on 설날.
The first record of Korean New Year appears in the 7th century Chinese history books.
In period of Silla, the records show the aspect of New Year's Day as a royal state.
Even afterwards, you can see that there were examples and feasts of consistently celebrating
the New Year through the history books.
What food will you cook for coming 설날?
Do you know the superstition regarding to eating 떡국?
On 설날, it was always considered eating rice cake soup.
'Eating a bowl of rice cake soup makes you one year older', this phrase is that we have been talking about.
I think it is because there was the time that our ancestors asked the age of the children with interesting way,
they asked, 'How many bowls of rice cake soup have you eaten, so far?' Did you get it?
I would not want to have more than 2 bowls of 떡국 from this year since my age will be counted in Korean way!!
Any 설날 food for dessert or drink?
Do you know 식혜?
Sikhye is the representative drink in Korea that must not be missed!
It is a sweet drink for dessert.
It is a drink made by the water made of rice with malt powder.
And it is a traditional Korean drink made by adding rice.