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Lunar New Year's events for foreign residents in Korea

2019-02-03 50

The Lunar New Year holiday, or "Seollal" in Korean, is just around the corner.
It's next Tuesday, but with the weekend, people are enjoying an extended break lasting until Wednesday.
Normally time of year, Koreans spend time with family and relatives, perform ancestral rites... and enjoy traditional food and games.
For foreigners who'd like to experience these traditions, there are a number of events offering a chance to do that.
Our Choi Si-young reports.

A deep bow to the elders called "Sebae" is a Korean traditional New Year's greeting that is a sign of blessing for the coming new year.

From this Tuesday to Wednesday, visitors to Gyeongbokgung Palace can try out Sebae while it is open to the public for free.

Deoksugung Palace will also be freely accessible during the holidays, where guests can play the Korean traditional outdoor game "Jegichagi" in which players kick "Jegi," a small coin wrapped in paper, into the air and attempt to keep it aloft.
There, they can also play traditional folk game "Yutnori," a board game where players toss four sticks.
"Tuho" or pitch-pot is another traditional game the visitors can enjoy.

Other eye-catching events are being held in the Korean Folk Village during the holidays.
Visitors can enjoy Korean folk music performance -- such as drumming, dancing and singing -- and traditional tightrope walking.
Known as "Jultagi," this acrobatic performance is different from other countries' tightrope walking because this is usually accompanied by music plays, telling a story to viewers.
Visitors can also pound rice cake, which is an essential ingredient of "Tteoguk," a rice cake soup eaten at this time of year.

The Seollal holiday is packed with colorful events... that will make the visitor's experience all the more unforgettable.

Choi Si-young, Arirang News.