새해에 복많이 받으십시오!

Happy New Year! Sul jal boneseyo. Teaching Koreans for a long time made me "Koreanized". On February 7, 2008, the Korean Lunar Calendar will turn its leaves to start a new year. They call it Suh-lal, which means New Year. On this day, the Korean men and women wears Hanbok which is the traditional clothes of Korean people. They also eat rice cake soup for good health, fortune, and happiness. It is also said that after eating this soup, they grow a year older. Koreans grow a year older on Suh-lal and another year on their birthday. If their birthday falls before it, then they grow a year older on their birthday and a year older again on Suh-lal. Moreover, they enjoy playing different kinds of games like Yun nori and kite flying. Some kids would also make fire in a can with denatured alcohol, pieces of cloth, twigs, and coal. They often play games and gather around the can. Sometimes they dance, sing, or talk about about their dreams and aspirations here.