Alternative holiday for Christmas Day

📣 Traveler notes

South Korea (Republic of Korea) is an affluent East Asian nation known for its blend of ancient traditions and modern technology. Its cultural prominence, especially K-pop, draws high tourism. Despite its modernity, Koreans maintain strong ties to their history, with many well-preserved historical sites available for visitors.

• Many major Korean holidays follow the lunar calendar and will fall on different dates each year.
• Lunar New Year (Seollal) and Chuseok are massive family holidays; expect widespread travel and limited services.
• On non-holiday official days, most banks and government offices will be closed.
• New Year's Day (January 1) is a recognized public holiday.
• Lunar New Year (Seollal) is a three-day public holiday where families gather to eat traditional foods like tteokguk and perform ancestral rites, making travel difficult.
• Independence Movement Day (March 1) commemorates a historical resistance movement against Japanese rule.
• When dining, use the provided Korean utensils (spoon and metal chopsticks). Individual portions of rice and soup are provided, but communal dishes are typically served family-style. During meals, wait for the eldest person to begin eating. Avoid placing chopsticks or spoons standing upright in rice or dishes, as this is reserved for funeral rituals. Also, do not hit utensils on dishes and do not remove plates or bowls from the table.