Although the origin of Valentine’s Day dates to Ancient Rome, it has now taken on great relevance around the world because of its significance for contemporary society. However, each country has its own way of celebrating this day and South Korea is a great example of this, as it has taken this celebration to another level.
In some countries, the 14th of February is celebrated as the day of love and friendship since as the name indicates, people usually celebrate both aspects by showing their affection for their loved ones through small details. This is the opposite of what happens in South Korea, because although they also give gifts, the quality that stands out the most in their society is love between couples, leaving friendship to one side, since is not taken into account for this date, it goes completely unnoticed.
That is why it is this day where lovers are the protagonists for stores, restaurants, cafes, and other shops, because they offer promotions that fit to share with the couple, besides being able to give them something meaningful or buy things that match and show that they are in a relationship because yes! It is something very common to see in this country. It is not surprising to see a pair of lovers on the street wearing the same hoodies, tennis, shoes, accessories, or even the same jewelry.
You probably think that is not very different from what is seen in Latin America, however, another characteristic aspect of this date celebrated in the Asian country is the fact that only women should give a gift to men, being the most usual a box of homemade chocolates, in this way the gift is much more meaningful.
They also usually take advantage of this date to confess their feelings and declare themselves to the person they like, emphasizing the fact that only women can do so on this day, in the best case, during the White Day, which is celebrated on March 14th, a month after Valentine’s Day, the boy to whom they declared themselves will accept their feelings by returning some sweets as a gift.
In short, it is peculiar that despite coinciding with this celebration, the tradition is different due to the cultural differences between countries. Did you know these facts about the celebration of Valentine’s Day in Korea? How do you celebrate it?
Written by: Diana Ramírez
Edited by: Angie Salavarria
