Seollal: Korean New Year

Ekta Aggarwal, New Delhi: Seollal or Eumnyeok Seollal/음력 설랄 is South Korea’s most popular and important holiday. It is a traditional festival to celebrate the first day of the Korean lunar calendar. The celebration of Seollal lasts for 3 days; beginning the day before, the New year’s day itself, and concluding the next day. Korean New Year usually falls on the second new moon in January or February. In the case of a lunar leap month, the new year falls on the third new moon. Seollal is a public holiday in South Korea; during this period, several enterprises are closed down and a paid vacation is offered for families to spend time together and visit their relatives.