Everyday can be St. Cupid’s Day.
BY JANET MOORE
It is February in cold Canada. The stores are a blur of red and pink and hearts. Packages in every shape and size take up entire store fronts forcing you to fight your way through the precariously balanced pyramids of Russell Stover just for a drop of orange juice. I took it for granted that this celebration of love couldn’t get any crazier, but then I went to South Korea.
In a Confucian country, there is a strong emphasis on the importance of marriage, and in a culture of youth surrounded by cutesy cartoons and marketed accessories, the concept of Valentine’s Day fits right in. In fact, there are multiple days throughout the year devoted to romance.
“The official day, February 14, traditionally involves the girls giving gifts to the boys.”
Roses are the big seller; for the teenagers, giving a single rose is customary. There are also lollipops attached to sticks and wrapped in red tissue to resemble a rosebud that are popular with children and young people. Contrary to our Hallmark driven society, Korea does not fuss over the giving of cards. Stationary stores sell some cards, but more often than not, it’s the foreigners or the youth doing the purchasing.
In my experience, notes on decorated stationary were more common, and I think, more meaningful. As well, gifts are also given to male teachers or friends. We were expected to give a gift of chocolate to our martial arts instructor, and by the end of the day he had an overflowing basket.
A month after Valentine’s Day comes White Day, on March 14. This is the day that the men reciprocate by giving gifts to the women. The traditional gift here is candy – mostly the hard candies wrapped in coloured cellophane. Again, gift giving carries over to involve not only girlfriends but also female teachers, and in my martial arts class, to female students. My martial arts instructor had containers, filled with candy and wrapped in white mesh, prepared for each girl in the class. And, at the end of the school day, I was loaded down with rosebud lollipops!
Ah, but then one month later, comes Black Day. April 14. This is the day when all of the unlucky singles go out to restaurants alone and eat JjaJangMyeon – noodles in black sauce. The sauce is made from black beans and includes onions and other vegetables, and, it’s very cheap. Most bowls are about $2 and you can sit with other singles and wallow in your loneliness together.
In November is my favourite day. Instead of falling on the 14th, Pepero Day is November 11th. Why? Well, Pepero are thin sticks of cookie dipped in chocolate. They are the Korean version of the Japanese Pocky, and if you stand four sticks together, they read 1111: the eleventh month, the eleventh day.
Pepero are manufactured by the corporate giant, Lotte, known for their industries which bear shocking resemblances to American corporations. Note the red and yellow logo of the burger joint, Lotteria, and the castle logo of their amusement park, Lotte World. Hmmm… Anyway, Lotte came up with Pepero Day, a day in which couples exchange boxes of Pepero; and a day in which the singles are once again disappointed by their lack of Pepero.
For the few weeks before, stores are stocked with pyramid after pyramid of boxes, cartons and containers or Pepero and its imitations. I made sure to furnish my students with bags of the delicious snack and the gift really made their day. I also received oodles of Pepero from other devoted students, as the custom again carries over to teachers and friends.
Regarding the rest of the year, some students told me that there was a romantic day every month, always on the 14th. I heard of Silver Day, Rose Day and others, but they did not seem as widely celebrated as the rest.
“Regardless, small town South Korea was a society of romance, devoted to giving gifts to those you care about, at many times throughout the year.”
While the holidays can seem a little cheesy at times, with piles of colourful boxes featuring anime characters staring at you as you buy your bread and milk, none of the celebrations involve a lot of fuss, expensive jewelry or fancy restaurants. They are happy days spent munching on candy and enjoying the company of friends and loved ones. I don’t know about you, but I’d spend Valentine’s in Korea any day. iT!
Travel enthusiast Janet Moore taught English in Korea for over a year before returning back to Canada. She is currently traveling in Greece.
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Check out what others are saying about this post...[...] VALENTINE’S MOST ENTHUSIASTIC COUNTRY And thus began Valentine’s Day, upheld for centuries as the day we tell those closest to us how deeply we care about them. While I’ve never understood the North American obsession with the day (that includes the Weekly Wanderer’s publisher), I have to admit that the most enthusiastic country I’ve encountered so far is Korea. They don’t stop at one day a year–the young people have a day almost every month! On Valentine’s Day, girls give gifts to the boys, while on White Day in March the boys give to the girls. On Pepero Day in November couples give each other cookie sticks dipped in chocolate, called Pepero in Korea. (You can find them in Canada at any Loblaws grocery store by their Japanese name, Poki). For more on the romance in Korea, check out my article. [...]