“Seollal” (Lunar New Year) is one of the most important holidays in South Korea and to celebrate the occasion, the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines is offering people the chance to experience Korean traditions, games and food on Jan. 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In South Korea, Seollal sees the gathering of families. That’s why to celebrate another year of Korean-Philippine friendship and relations, and to introduce Korean traditions of the Lunar New Year, the KCC is bringing not just one but six Korean traditional games and activities for people to enjoy at the center.
Besides trying out these exciting traditional Korean games and activities, people have the chance to win amazing prizes. The event is open for everyone of all ages and interests, with the prizes on a first come and first served basis.
Among the traditional Korean games one can try is the Ddakji, a game which involves flipping another player’s card, which became famous after Gong Yoo played it in “Squid Game.” You’ll be given the full experience of Ddakji as it’s presented in “Squid Game,” but minus the money.
If you’re feeling a little lucky, the game Tuho might be for your liking where you’ll throw an arrow inside a pot. It’s a game of accuracy and precision that might need your concentration skills in making sure that the arrow enters the pot.
There is also the game Jegichagi, similar to the Filipino game sipa. The rules are clear, just kick and keep the shuttlecock in the air as long as possible.
But if adventurous is your word of the day, you might want to try the Yunnori, a traditional Korean board game that uses five different sticks. The number of the face up or face down sticks in Yunnori determines how many places you advance in the board.
As all games should be, getting a prize is part of winning a game. All participants will be given a stamp card at the entrance which you will use to complete and experience all the traditional Korean games.
After playing all the games, you will do a “sebae,” which is a traditional Korean bow during New Year to elders. You may also do this while wearing a Hanbok should you choose to do so. After this, you can get a chance to win amazing prizes such as a gift certificate or Korean culture items. The prizes are on a first come and first served basis until supplies last.
After the sebae, you can go to the third floor of the KCC where the Cooking Classroom is located so you can get to taste a hearty bowl of Tteokguk, a rice cake soup Koreans usually eat during the Lunar New Year.
In Korea, eating tteokguk means that you’ll age one year, which is the infamous Korean age where Koreans add one year to their age every Jan. 1.