Because of intense
commercialism, Valentine's Day practices common to the US and England have
invaded the shores of other countries. From Europe to Africa, South America,
the Middle East and Asia, Valentine's Day is celebrated either openly or under
wraps. Some countries have their own Valentine's Day traditions. Usually, it is
the florist or the confectionary makers (and other commercial establishments
like department stores) that push Valentine's Day into the consciousness of the
people for the sake of boosting their sales.
Women take the lead in Japan and Korea during V-Day
For instance, in Japan
Valentine's Day was first introduced in 1936 by a confectionary and cake
company, Morozoff Ltd. The foreigners living in the country were its market at
that time. Other companies followed suit with their own gimmicks and
promotions. Not all Western practices were absorbed by the Japanese, though.
Exchange of Valentine cards or going out on dates was not a popular practice.
What was unique to Japan was the practice of ladies in the office giving their
male co-workers chocolates on V-day. In return, the men would give chocolates
to the women a month later, specifically on March 14. The Japanese call this
day, White Day.
South Koreans have adopted the
practices of their Japanese neighbors when it comes to celebrating the day of
love. Females are the expected gift givers during February 14. Then on White
Day, it is the turn of the males to reciprocate.
But it seems that the South Koreans
have (unintentionally perhaps) one-upped the Japanese by having a special
holiday on the 14th day of each month for couples in romantic relationships.
The only exception is the special holiday celebrated every 14th of April (more
on this later). These South Korean special holidays (not to be confused with
public holidays, though) may seem corny for many but they are fun nonetheless.
Diary Day – January 14
The first month of the year brings
about a certain "newness" to any romantic relationship. January 14 is
designated as Diary Day in South Korea. Diaries or 12-month planners are
exchanged between couples (and close friends). These are used to take note of
important dates such as birthdays, anniversaries, special events and other
plans. Couples are encouraged to recount times spent with each other. It's a
good way to keep track of things in the relationship lest one partner wants to be
the accepting end of the ire of the other.
Valentine's Day – February 14
Western Valentine's Day practices are
all too common in South Korea. There are decorations of hearts, roses and
cupids in red, pink and white hues. Chocolate and candy sales are up. The only
difference is that women are expected to give men gifts instead of the other
way around. There is a sense of obligation to this practice. Some report that
women give less expensive chocolates to men whom they are mere acquaintances
with or whom they are not exactly fond of. But for men they really like, they
choose the more expensive chocolates. Apparently, on this day, the chocolates
do the talking. This practice was more common in the workplace when it started
but has since gone beyond office buildings.
White Day – March 14
South Koreans adopted this Japanese
special holiday, which is an answer to Valentine's Day. This gave South Korean
men the chance to respond to their female counterparts. The common gifts given
by men on this day are supposed to be predominantly white in color. Roses and
other flowers are expected to be white and so are the stuffed animals or plush
toys. White chocolate roses, marshmallows and other white confections are some
of the gifts given out by men to certain women. Jewelry and dolls are also
popular gifts during White Day. Of course gift giving during this day is, like
on Valentine's Day, out of love, friendship, obligation or mere courtesy.
Black Day- April 14
The 14th of April is
jajangmyeon-eating day for those who did not receive anything during
Valentine's Day or White Day. This special holiday is known as Black Day in
South Korea. Loveless men and women are given this day to drown their sorrows
in "jajangmyeon," which is black colored noodles mixed with black
bean paste. Single people who wish to celebrate (or commiserate) Black Day
drink black coffee and consume other black colored foods. Dressing in black
from head to toe is a common practice.
Rose Day/Yellow Day – May 14
The 14th of May is dubbed Rose Day
and also Yellow Day. Those in a romantic relationship exchange rose bouquets to
signify their love for each other. Some couples choose to wear clothes in shades
of yellow during this day. So that single people are not left out, they have
their own tradition on this day. And that is to eat curry.
Kiss Day – June 14
The language of the lips is
celebrated during June 14. It's Kiss Day in South Korea. Locking lips is the
order of the day for all couples. A number of venues and Seoul-based businesses
try their best to capitalize on Kiss Day by organizing events like kissing
contests and coming out with promotions to commemorate the day.
Silver Day – July 14
Jewelry stores profit from this day as couples are expected to exchange
silver rings and other types of silver jewelry or accessories on Silver Day.
The silver rings may sometimes serve as a couple's promise to marry each other
at a future date. Some couples choose July 14 as the perfect day to introduce
their partners to their parents or tell their friends about their on-going
romantic relationship.
Green
Day – August 14
South Korean couples take time to visit Mother Nature on Green Day. They
go hiking, take a leisurely walk in a park or engage in other activities close
to Mother Nature's heart. Couples often dress in green on August 14. For those
who do not have a significant other, August 14 is also of some importance to
them. This is the day when partner-less single men and women drown their
sorrows at being loveless by drinking "soju," a drink that comes in a
green bottle. The taste of "soju" is similar to vodka but slightly
sweeter.
Photo
Day and Music Day – September 14
An entire day is dedicated for couple to take pictures of each other and
to have pictures taken of them together. After spending the day clicking away,
September 14 ends with enjoying a night of singing or listening to music at one
of the many karaoke rooms ("noraebang") around town. To confirm their
romantic bond, some couples exchange music CDs on this day.
Wine Day – October 14
It's not exactly a day for couples to
get inebriated. Rather, it is a day to enjoy a good glass or two of wine with
one's significant other. The air is cold in October making wine a great
companion to a good meal during a couple's romantic date. Single people also
indulge in wine for their own personal reasons. In the end, it is really the
wine sellers that are happiest on October 14 because of the volume of wine they
are able to sell.
Movie Day – November 14
Couples are encouraged to go out and
see a movie together on this day. But since there are no rules to this
celebration, catching a flick at home is probably acceptable, too.
Hug Day – December 14
Hugs are often more powerful than words and transcend
language barriers. In South Korea, Hug Day encourages couples to lock
themselves in a tight, meaningful embrace. It's a great way to keep each other
warm and toasty during this cold winter's day. But, it is not a special
confined to lovers only. Hugs can also be exchanged between family and friends.
Some people go around to give hugs to complete strangers (at no cost).
If you look at the list of special holidays above, you may
find yourself scratching your head and asking yourself "WHY?!" Some
of these special holidays seem silly and do not make sense at all. However,
South Koreans are not the only people that have celebrations and holidays that
do not make sense to other races and cultures. Some holidays were born
thousands of years ago and were based on time-honored traditions. Others,
especially recent ones, may have been born out of self-serving reasons (mainly
for increased profit for certain companies). Other holidays just sounded like
good ideas at the time they were conceptualized.
Whatever the reasons are for celebrating a particular
holiday (regular, religious, special, etc.), respect it, honor it or simply
enjoy what it is supposed to commemorate or stand for. When you are in South
Korea or any other country for that matter, remember that it is more fun to
join in their unique brand of fun than spending the time making sense of what
is going on. Maybe as you learn more about the culture, its people and their
language, you will be able to get what all the hoopla is all about.
Photocredit: by bitchcakesny
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