Korean Cultural Centre India celebrates
Seollal (Lunar New Year) in New Delhi

On 9th February 2024, Korean Cultural Centre India celebrated Seollal, the Lunar New Year, by organising an event at its centre in New Delhi. The event, which was held at the Korean Cultural Centre auditorium between 11 am and 12:30 pm, was attended by 110 Indian students and officials. Seollal or the Lunar New Year is one of the most important traditional festivals in South Korea. This special holiday commemorates the first day of Korean Lunar Calendar with hope and greeting for the New Year ahead.

During the event, the Korean Cultural Centre India showcased the traditional events that are held back in their homeland, such as greeting the elders in the family and wishing them a happy New Year. The tradition also involves visiting the graves of ancestors and paying respect to them. The occasion is further celebrated by playing traditional games, wearing the traditional dress, Hanbok, and eating Tteokguk, a rice cake soup. Tteokguk is a special festival dish that is prepared on Seollal, as it is believed that it is only after consuming a bowl of Tteokguk on the first day of the Lunar year that a person “grows a year older”.

However, the highlight of the event on Friday, was the showcasing of the Korean Lunar New Year paintings which were drawn by Indian students themselves. These paintings will be on display at the Korean Cultural Centre India until 12th February. Speaking on the importance on holding cultural exchanges such as these between the people of India and Republic of Korea, Hwang Il Yong, director of Korean Cultural Centre India, said, “I hope that this opportunity will allow students to talk about each other's Lunar New Year customs and feel Korean culture more closely.”

Mansi Tyagi, a student participating in the event, expressed her excitement regarding the Seollal festivities. “This is a good occasion for friends to come together and experience Korean culture. I was excited to experience the traditional elements of Seollal festivities like wearing Hanbok, eating Tteokguk and playing traditional games that native Koreans play on this occasion. It was all such a wonderful experience,” she said.

Meanwhile, Shilpi Karmokar, a student at the Korean language class at King Sejong Institute at the Korean Cultural Centre in India, said that the event is a great opportunity to promote Korea and its traditions to those Indian enthusiasts who want to learn more about Korean history and culture. “This event is a great medium for spreading cultural knowledge to people who wish to learn more about Korea, its history, and its culture. And it is also a good experience for the newly enrolled students here at the institute,” she said.