[Lifehacks] Don’t come home empty-handed on these special days

[Lifehacks] Don’t come home empty-handed on these special days

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A box of chocolates from chocolate maker Adore, this year’s limited edition offering. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

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main couples day

Chocolate shops in South Korea are busy preparing for the weekend crowds ahead of White Day on Monday, March 14. While it may not be as widely celebrated as the holiday a month ago a year ago, it is still a special day that many couples celebrate in Korea, similar to Valentine’s Day.

There are also some special days of the year, such as White Day, which may not be familiar to non-Korean people. For your future reference, we’ve compiled a list of these days so you can plan ahead when expressing your love for that special someone.

How do you choose the day to celebrate?

Since there are so many different days between couples, a couple usually decides which days they want to invest their time and money in after being in a relationship for a few months. Valentine’s Day and Christmas are two major festivals that many Korean couples celebrate together.

Similar to how chocolate is synonymous with Valentine’s Day, other days have specific items associated with them. These special days are not official holidays, but just fun days to celebrate for anyone or any couple who wants to attend.

Gifts don’t have to be expensive, and many regular retail stores, including convenience stores like GS25 or CU, usually stock special items associated with these days. Maybe you’ve even seen some “White Day” banners at convenience stores this past week.

Major convenience stores like GS25 and CU are running candy sales ahead of White Day on March 14. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

What days do couples celebrate in Korea?


In chronological order, couples usually celebrate Valentine’s Day, White Day, Rose Day, Pepero Day, and Christmas Eve or Christmas. Coming of Age Day is another possible day of celebration, as is Black Day, but for a different reason. In South Korea, the 14th of every month was once designated as some kind of special day of celebration, but with the exception of a few to be mentioned below, most have been eliminated. Here, we will share the generally celebrated days that took place in the first half of the year.

White Day (화이트데이)

when? March 14
What do you do? In Korea, women traditionally give men chocolate on Valentine’s Day and men give women candy on White Day. These days, however, some couples choose to skip White Day altogether and only exchange sweets or gifts of any kind on Valentine’s Day. White Day is said to have originated in Japan and later spread to other Asian countries such as South Korea and Singapore.

A special White Day cake at Cedrat, a cake shop located in the Gangnam district of southern Seoul. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

what do you buy? Major dessert shops have launched special limited-edition products for Valentine’s Day. White Day options may not be as diverse as Valentine’s Day, but there’s no shortage of options. Those looking to buy something more mundane than a convenience store or department store should look for small independent pastry shops or chocolate shops. Many shops in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul; Seongdong-gu, eastern Seoul; and Mapo-gu, western Seoul, prepare special candy boxes. Inspired by the occasion, some pastry shops are offering cakes decorated in white, which may sell for around 50,000 won ($40). Some chocolate shops launch boxes with different themes every year, and a box sells for around 60,000 won on average. Convenience stores also have plenty of options for anyone looking for a more affordable option.

Chocolatier Piaf, located in the Gangnam district in southern Seoul, offers a box of chocolates inspired by gyeongdae, a traditional Korean vanity box with a mirror. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Are these special boxes ready in stores? As some stores have acquired a reputation for deliciousness, they require advance reservations. Even pre-orders sell out as soon as the pre-order site opens — some within 30 seconds. It’s no exaggeration to say that almost all chocolate shops test their limits around Valentine’s Day and White Day. They spent months designing a special box that made their box unique. Over the past few years, local dessert shops have led the way in making these candy boxes prettier and more attractive, changing the chocolate designs and flavors inside each year. Thankfully, only a handful of the very popular will do this, and many options are available without any prior reservations.

Black Valentine’s Day (블랙데이)
when? April 14

A bowl of fried sauce noodles, black bean sauce noodles [JOONGANG PHOTO]

What do you do? Also known as Singles Day, when people who haven’t received any presents get together for a meal on Valentine’s Day or White Day fried noodles (Noodles in Black Bean Sauce). The tradition is not as widely practiced as it once was, but some people still participate for fun. While not technically a couple’s day, who knows – maybe sharing a bowl of noodles will spark a fresh start.

SSG Food Market offers rose bouquets [YONHAP]

Rose Festival (로즈데이)
when? May 14
What do you do? As the name suggests, couples exchange roses. Flower lovers who want to keep up the tradition will still exchange a bouquet of roses, although many couples who choose to attend will send an exotic flower. Flowers tend to get more expensive in May as many people buy flowers as gifts due to Parents’ Day (May 8) and Teachers’ Day (May 15).




Adult (성년의날)

The retail store offers sales and promotions for those 19 and older. [NEWS1]

when? Third Monday in May

What do you do? Everyone who turns 19 sometime that year celebrates their coming of age on this day. Many college freshmen turn 19 and are officially adults. A parent, friend, or lover usually prepares three things for a 19-year-old—a rose, a bottle of perfume, and a kiss. If you’re going to date someone that turns 19, you’ll probably want to be ready for one, if not all, of these three things.

Li Shanmin [summerlee@joongang.co.kr]

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