How is Halloween celebrated in Korea?

How is Halloween celebrated in Korea? Like other holidays, Halloween is a bit more of a Western celebration, and South Korea is somewhat conservative. Therefore, this tradition is not very rooted in their customs. However, in recent years they have been hosting this type of celebration in a certain way. While Christmas is another type of Valentine’s in Korea, and unlike other countries, the popular costumes are not so worn by children. But rather by young people and adults.

In addition, in our countries, Halloween is celebrated on October 31, while in South Korea, it is celebrated fifteen days after the Chinese New Year and is usually celebrated in mid-February or March under the name “Taeborum” (Great Moon). ). Do you know what Taeborum is? If not, don’t worry. Today at Korean Fashion Trends, we talk a little about Korean culture and tell you how Halloween is celebrated in Korea since we are already in the spookiest month of all. Are you ready? Let’s get started!

What is the Taeborum?

How is Halloween celebrated in Korea? As we said before, Halloween is a foreign celebration for them. However, they do celebrate it. Or at least in some areas of Korea. But we will tell you about that later. Now we talk about Taeborum.

This celebration in Korea is often compared to Halloween. Why? Because this is the day when Koreans pay tribute to their ancestors. In addition, it is a day to ward off the devil and bad luck through rituals and dishes prepared especially for that day. In the Taeborum, Koreans have various customs, such as family gatherings at the cemetery and praying to their loved ones.

They also celebrate a ritual in which people compete to be the first to see the moon, as it is said that the first to do so will be awarded good luck for the rest of the year.

What do Koreans do in the Taeborum?

In Taeborum, Koreans often make wishes for the moon and predict what the year will be like by looking at its color. If the moon is white, abundant rains will come; if it is red, there will be droughts; and if it’s gray, they’ll go hungry.

However, other activities are also carried out. The little ones like to go to the beach and build huts and light torches when they see the moon. They sing, dance with their families, and make special meals. They can also enjoy fireworks. But they also have other types of beliefs related to that day.

They believe that if you walk backward across a bridge, you won’t have foot pain. Or, the day after the celebration, they attend church and eat dried fruit in quantities equivalent to their age since they believe that the noise caused by chewing drives away malicious spirits. You can see many Korean celebrities celebrate Halloween, but it is only because of the influence of foreigners because their customs are different.

Is Halloween celebrated throughout Korea?

How is Halloween celebrated in Korea? It is not a usual celebration in Korea as in other countries. However, the foreign influence on Korea is so strong that it is not difficult to see Korean celebrities celebrate Halloween on October 31 with costumes and parties.

Parties are especially very common in one of the most popular areas of Seoul. Do you know which one is? If you thought of Itaewon, you are correct! Thanks to the fact that there is a lot of cultural diversity in Itaewon, they celebrate Halloween there in a big way. People dress up not so much to ask for sweets as in other countries. They do it to go out to dinner or attend parties with friends.

The costumes are elaborate and stunning, although some are also very rare, all this makes the streets fill up, and people take many pictures celebrating Halloween as we know it. If you watched the popular drama Itaewon Class, you get an idea of this celebration in Itaewon.

What do Koreans do for Halloween?

How is Halloween celebrated in Korea? Although it is not a usual celebration in Korea, many have adopted it thanks to foreign influence. However, some things are not the same. Why? Because there is no trick-or-treating, for example, and children don’t dress up more than all young people and adults do.

So sadly, if you’re in Korea during Halloween, chances are you won’t be able to trick-or-treat as it’s not customary there. You may also not marvel at the Korean streets because you won’t find them decked out in spooky Halloween decorations.

Also, none of your Korean friends may be used to carving pumpkin heads. And unfortunately, chances are, people don’t build haunted houses either. However, as we said before, this event has been more popular in recent years. Thanks to that, you can also have fun celebrating this event in Korea in other ways.

Are there Halloween parties in Korea?

It is by no means a traditional holiday for Koreans; we already know that. But it is something that young adults love to enjoy in some way. Why? Perhaps due to the influence of the Americans. Although the celebration of Halloween in Korea remains significantly different from the traditional celebrations of the holiday, every year, the idea of celebrating Halloween seems to be gaining popularity. So there is no need to worry if you want to dress up. Also, putting on a fabulous dress or outfit is still part of it. You can go to the celebrations in Itaewon, Hongdae, or Gangnam. In these areas of Seoul, the Halloween holiday is a little closer to how we know it.

Although in Gangnam, unlike Itaewon and Hongdae, Halloween is not celebrated as much, you can find excellent costume shops if you want to wear a stunning costume during the Itaewon or Hongdae parties because costume parties are a big part of Halloween in South Korea! Especially in the different neighborhoods of Seoul that we already mentioned. You can wear a costume and go out for a fun night without being seen as weird. You can dress up as you want. It can be a ghost, monster, zombie, or maybe your favorite fictional character. If you have no idea what to dress up, you can take inspiration from the costumes your favorite Korean celebrities have worn in the past years.

How is Halloween celebrated in Korea?

It is not a very common celebration in Korea, but it doesn’t go unnoticed. Thanks to foreign influence, many people dress up and attend Halloween parties in Itaewon, for example. But without a doubt, the closest celebration to the most significant Halloween in Korea is the Taeborum. Did you already know about this celebration? If not, what do you think? What do you think about her? Tell us in the comments. See you in the following Korean fashion trends blog!

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