Korean Cultural Centre India Celebrates Seollal with Students
New Delhi: The Korean Cultural Centre India (KCCI) hosted a vibrant cultural gathering to celebrate Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year, bringing together over 90 students enrolled in its Korean language programmes. The event was a meaningful blend of tradition, reflection, and cultural exchange, highlighting the shared spirit of new beginnings between Korea and India.
The celebration began with an introduction to Seollal customs, including family greetings, the traditional New Year’s bow (sebae), and the significance of eating tteokguk (rice cake soup), which symbolizes gaining a year in age and welcoming a fresh start. Students participated in a New Year Wish-Making Ceremony, writing down their aspirations for the year on special cards and placing them on a hanging rope under a projected image of the full moon.
The event also featured an interactive sebae experience, where students practiced the traditional bow and exchanged New Year’s greetings while wearing Hanbok, Korea’s traditional attire. Hwang Il Yong, Director of KCCI, emphasized the universal desire for happiness, peace, and prosperity that unites cultures, saying, “Seollal is not only about welcoming a new year, but about reflecting on our hopes and sharing them with others.”
The celebration highlighted cultural parallels between Korea and India, where lunar traditions and the symbolism of the moon hold deep meaning, much like festivals like Pongal, Makar Sankranti, Baisakhi, and Onam. By participating in the event, students experienced firsthand the collective hope and spirit of Seollal, fostering deeper cultural understanding and people-to-people connections between Korea and India.
