Buddha's Birthday

📣 Traveler notes

South Korea is an affluent East Asian nation blending ancient traditions with modern technology. It is famous for historical sites and pop culture (K-pop). Travelers should note that major holidays often result in periods of intense domestic travel.

• Major holidays (e.g., Lunar New Year, Chuseok) are family-focused, causing mass domestic travel and limiting services.
• Government offices and banks are typically closed on most traditional holidays.
• Buddhist temples are usually decorated with lanterns for Buddha's Birthday.
• Lunar New Year (Seollal) is a multi-day holiday focused on family gatherings.
• The holiday dates fluctuate yearly according to the lunar calendar.
• It is necessary to plan travel around major holidays.
• When dining, use Korean utensils (spoons and chopsticks). Speaking during meals, lifting dishes while eating, or sticking chopsticks upright in food is considered impolite. Individual servings of rice and soup are provided, though communal dishes are common.