Liberation Day

📣 Traveler notes

South Korea (Republic of Korea) is an affluent East Asian nation, known for its cultural role between China and Japan. The country achieved significant economic growth and is a global hub for pop culture, particularly K-pop. Despite its modern, high-tech aspects, South Korea maintains deep respect for its history and traditions, offering many well-preserved historical sites.

• Many traditional Korean holidays follow the lunar calendar, causing dates to shift annually. Major family holidays (e.g., Lunar New Year, Chuseok) see mass travel and severely impact transportation and services. For other holidays, while government offices and banks are closed, other services may remain open.
• New Year's Day (January 1) is a public holiday.
• Lunar New Year (Seollal) is a three-day holiday period where families gather and traditional foods are eaten, often resulting in temporary closures of shops and restaurants.
• Independence Movement Day (March 1) commemorates the 1919 resistance movement against Japanese colonial rule.
• Korean dining involves specialized utensils: metal chopsticks and spoons (수저, sujeo). Metal chopsticks are standard in many restaurants. While communal dishes are common, individual portions of rice and soup are provided. During meals, respectful silence is often maintained. Key etiquette points include: never leaving chopsticks or spoons standing upright in a bowl (a practice reserved for the deceased); waiting for the eldest person to start eating; and not lifting plates or bowls from the table.