Korean Holidays-May the Month of Family

May is a wonderful time in Korea. The weather is nice, sunny, and warm. There are many national holidays and events where you can spend precious time with your family. So, May is known as the month of family and gratitude. In this post, I'll show the Korean national holidays in May and their meanings.

Children's Day: May 5th

May 5th is Children's Day every year. It is called 어린이날. 어린이 is a child or children and 날 means a day. Children's Day is a day to celebrate the spirit of love and protection for children. It is a national holiday so kids and parents don't have to go to school or work and spend time together!

On this day, many festivals for children are held all over South Korea. Kids and their parents go on picnics, amusement parks, or local festivals. Parents usually give a gift to their children as well.

If you are curious about the history of this day, here is a short reading material for you. When Children's Day was first launched, Korea was under the Japanese colonial period. On March 1st, the independence movement was held. It was a non-violent protest against Japanese colonial rule.

From this movement, people began establishing 소년회 (association for boys). It was to awaken the national spirit of children. In April 1922, various youth organizations, newspaper companies, and international students gathered together and designated May 1 as Children's Day. In 1923, Korean students who studied abroad, including Bang Jeong-hwan, founded the 색동회(Saekdong Association) and published magazines for children.

However, May 1st was International Labor Day. So in 1927, Children's Day was moved to the first Sunday in May to make more people could participate. The event was suspended until 1939 due to Japanese harsh oppression but was revived in 1946. In 1961, May 5th was designated as Children's Day by the Child Welfare Act. It has been designated as a public holiday since 1975.

Parents' Day: May 8th

In some countries, Mother's Day and Father's Day are separate holidays. However, in Korea, people celebrate both parents on one day. We call it 어버이날. It is May 8th every year. It is a national designated day but not a holiday. That means it is not markered red on a calendar and people still have to go to school and work.

It's a day dedicated to showing gratitude and love to parents. Children often prepare letters, gifts, and carnations to show appreciation for everything their parents have done for them. It's a time for families to come together and cherish precious moments.

어버이날 started in 1973. Originally it was 어머니날 (Mother's Day). The reason the government made Mother's Day was to instill pride in women who are mothers and to teach all other women how to be mothers and raise their children well. So, it was not the day to show appreciation to the mother. Instead, it was a day to emphasize the responsibilities of mothers.

As time goes, the day changed to Parent's Day. As it did, children’s duties were emphasized rather than mothers’ responsibilities. The purpose was to educate the public on respect for the elderly and filial duty(효).

Teacher's Day: May 15th

Teacher's Day is celebrated annually on May 15th. It is a day dedicated to honoring teachers and expressing gratitude for their contributions to education and society. It is called 스승의 날 in Korean.

You may know a teacher in Korean is 선생님. Then, why do Koreans call this day 스승의 날, not 선생님의 날? 스승 is a native Korean word. It means someone who teaches and guides you. 선생님 is a Sino-Korean word. It means someone teaches a student. So, 스승 has a more broad meaning. It refers not only to the actual teacher with teaching degrees but also to someone who guided you in your life.

Then how do people celebrate this day? Usually, students write thank you letters and give carnations to their teachers. Do you remember children give carnations to parents on the Parents' Day as well? Carnation is a symbol of gratitude. Also, with a long history of Confucianism, a teacher has been considered as another parent to Koreans. Even adults can celebrate this day too! People often visit teachers that they admired when they were students.

Coming of Age Day: Third Monday of May

Korea's Coming-of-Age Day is a celebration for young people who turn 19, marking their transition into adulthood. It is observed annually on the third Monday of May. This day holds significant meaning as it signifies the young people's new status as adults, who are now responsible members of society.

It is not a national holiday (the red day on a calendar) but it is a national registered anniversary. However, it was considered one of the most important events in one's life a long time ago. A similar coming-of-age ceremony was held during the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties. This is called ‘관례’. The Goryeo Dynasty started in 918, so you can tell this has a pretty long history. At that time, a man who became an adult wore a topknot and a woman wore a hairpin instead of braided hair.

In modern times, people give three gifts to these new adults; roses, perfume, and a kiss. Roses mean love and beauty. Typically people give 20 roses. Perfume represents a fresh start and maturity. A kiss is a sign of love and affection, celebrating the new adult's transition.

Spouses' Day: May 21st

부부의 날 is celebrated anuually on May 21st. 부부 means married couples or spouses. It is a day to promote love and harmony between married couples and to emphasize the importance of family.

Spouses' Day was initiated by the "Spouses' Day Committee" in 1995. In 2007, the South Korean government officially recognized it as a commemorative day. The date, May 21st, symbolizes "two (2) becoming one (1)," and May is known as Family Month in Korea, underscoring the importance of family.

Buddha's Birthday: 8th day of the 4th lunar month

Buddha's Birthday(부처님 오신 날) also called 석가탄신일(Seokga Tansinil). In Korea, is a celebration of the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. This significant event is observed annually on the 8th day of the 4th month of the lunar calendar in Korea and holds immense importance for Buddhists. While not directly in May, Buddha's Birthday often falls within this month.

It is not a holiday directed to "Family Month" but since it is a national holiday and takes significant importance in Korean society, I add this holiday to this post. Christianity and Buddhism are the two major religions in Korea. Just as Christmas, the birth of Jesus, is celebrated, the day of the Buddha's birth is also designated as a national holiday.

Buddhists visit the Buddhist temples on this day. Commemorative Buddhist ceremonies are held including lantern festivals. The day is also marked by acts of charity and compassion. Buddhist temples and organizations often engage in various community service activities, helping the neighbors in need.

In contemporary times, Buddha's Birthday has evolved into a cultural event that extends beyond the Buddhist community. Many non-Buddhists participate in the celebrations, enjoying the cultural aspects such as the lantern festivals. The South Korean government recognizes this day as a public holiday, allowing people to participate in the festivities and reflect on the teachings of Buddha.

Wrap-up: Korean Holidays in May

May is a month with a lot of nationally designated anniversaries and holidays. There are actually more days than what I covered here. For example, May 1st is Labor Day, May 10th is Voter's Day, May 20th is Together Day, and so on. However, there are only two legal holidays. They are Children's Day and Buddha's Birthday. What kinds of special holidays do your country have? If you want to share with others, please leave a comment.