Want to find out how Koreans spend their New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day according to the Gregorian calendar?
Here’s how Koreans celebrate the New Year!
Quick Summary
- Koreans have unique ways of welcoming the year ahead.
- Seoul hosts a famous Bosingak Bell-Ringing Ceremony at midnight to mark the new year.
- Many Koreans travel east to enjoy the first sunrise of the year.
- On both the solar and lunar New Year, most Koreans eat tteokguk for breakfast.
New Year’s Eve: Bosingak Bell-Ringing Ceremony
New Year’s Eve rings loud and clear at the Bosingak Bell-Ringing Ceremony in Jongno, Seoul.
Since its first ceremony in 1953, it has been THE New Year’s event for Koreans to welcome the new year.
Growing up in a small town far away from Seoul, my family always watched this ceremony on TV.
The bell, housed in the Bosingak Pavilion, rings 33 times at midnight to mark the transition into the new year.
The reason for ringing the bell 33 times is to symbolize the dream of reaching the heavenly world of Doricheon (33 Heavens) led by Indra (the guardian deity of Buddhism) and to pray for the peace of the country and the health and happiness of the people.
This year, Seoul City hosts the bell-ringing ceremony from 11:40 PM to 12:08 AM to welcome 2025, the Year of the Blue Snake.
The Seoul skyline is also lit up with drone light shows and colorful fireworks, creating lively festivities.
New Year’s Day: Sunrise
While the New Year’s Eve celebrations are exciting, the morning of January 1st is about quiet wishes.
Many Koreans head to the East Sea to catch the first sunrise of the year.
Popular spots are Gyeongpo Beach (Gangneung), Jeongdongjin (Gangneung), Ganjeolgot (Ulsan), Homigot (Pohang), and Seongsan Ilchulbong (Jeju).
This tradition is especially popular among families, who gather to watch the sun rise together and share heartfelt wishes for the year ahead.
My family’s go-to New Year sunrise spot was Homigot (Pohang). We ate a lot of snow crabs from the region and then woke up early to catch the sunrise. We sometimes went on a New Year trip to Jeju and saw the sunrise at Seongsan Ilchulbong.
Tteokguk: A Bowl of New Beginnings
No Korean New Year is complete without a warm bowl of tteokguk (rice cake soup).
This tradition spans both the solar and lunar New Year where we eat tteokguk for breakfast.
Eating tteokguk is believed to bring good fortune and mark the passing of another year in age.
Families gather around the table to share this meal, creating a sense of warmth.
When my family doesn’t go on a trip to see the sunrise, we eat a bowl of rice cake soup at home, then go watch a movie together.
Korean New Year’s celebrations are a mix of dynamic city events, serene nature, and delicious soup.
Whether you’re having fun at the bell-ringing ceremony, chasing the first sunrise, or savoring tteokguk with family, the start of the year in Korea is full of hope and joy.
If you ever get the chance to celebrate New Year’s in Korea, you’ll discover why it’s such a memorable and heartwarming experience.
Happy New Year!
