How to Say "Happy New Year" in Korean — Seollal vs January 1st, Traditions & Expressions

Two New Years in Korea: How to Navigate It All

When I arrived in Korea, I discovered something surprising: Koreans celebrate New Year twice. January 1st Western-style, and 설날 (Seollal), the Lunar New Year, which usually falls in late January or early February. And believe me, the two are not even close in importance.

January 1st is a quiet holiday. A few fireworks, a countdown on TV, and that's about it. But Seollal? That's THE family event of the year. Three days off, millions of Koreans traveling across the country to reunite with their families, monstrous traffic jams, and traditions that go back centuries.

새해 복 많이 받으세요 (saehae bok mani badeuseyo) — The Essential Expression

• Hangeul: 새해 복 많이 받으세요
• Romanization: saehae bok mani badeuseyo
• Translation: May you receive lots of luck in the new year

Let's break this expression down:

• 새해 (saehae) — new year
• 복 (bok) — luck, happiness, fortune
• 많이 (mani) — a lot
• 받으세요 (badeuseyo) — please receive (polite form)

Literally, you're not wishing a "good year" — you're telling the other person to "receive lots of happiness." It's a beautiful, uniquely Korean nuance.

Variants by Register

Seollal (설날) — The Real Korean New Year

When Exactly?

Seollal follows the lunar calendar. The date changes every year:

• 2025: January 29
• 2026: February 17
• 2027: February 6

It's a three-day holiday (the day before, the day of, and the day after), and it's when all of Korea gets moving. Highways are gridlocked for hours. KTX train tickets sell out weeks in advance. My first year, I made the mistake of trying to travel during Seollal — 6 hours for a trip that normally takes 2.5 hours.

세배 (sebae) — The Traditional Bow

• Hangeul: 세배
• Romanization: sebae
• Translation: New Year's deep bow

The 세배 is a gesture of deep respect: you kneel facing your elders, place your hands on the ground, and bow until your forehead nearly touches the floor. Children and young adults perform 세배 before their parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

What happens after the 세배: The elders give money! It's called 세뱃돈 (sebaetdon) — New Year's money. Kids love Seollal for this reason. When I did my first 세배 in front of my mother-in-law, she gave me 50,000 won with a big smile. I was 30 years old and felt like a kid on Christmas morning.

덕담 (deokdam) — Blessing Words

• Hangeul: 덕담
• Romanization: deokdam
• Translation: Blessing words / benevolent wishes

After the 세배, elders speak 덕담 — personalized blessings for the new year:

• 올해 건강하거라 (olhae geonganghageora) — Be healthy this year
• 올해 좋은 사람 만나라 (olhae joeun saram mannara) — Meet someone nice this year (classic for singles)
• 올해 시험 잘 봐라 (olhae siheom jal bwara) — Do well on your exams this year
• 사업이 잘 되길 바란다 (saeobi jal doegil baranda) — May your business prosper

My father-in-law says the same thing to me every year: 한국어 더 잘하거라 (hangugeo deo jalgeora) — "Get better at Korean." After 12 years, I'm starting to wonder if he's teasing me.

떡국 (tteokguk) — Rice Cake Soup

• Hangeul: 떡국
• Romanization: tteokguk
• Translation: Rice cake soup

No Seollal without 떡국. This soup made with sliced rice cake medallions in a clear broth is THE New Year's dish. And there's a fascinating tradition: by eating a bowl of 떡국, you "gain one year of age."

In Korea, everyone traditionally ages one year at Seollal (well, the Korean age system officially changed in 2023, but the culinary tradition remains). So if you don't want to get older, don't eat 떡국. I'm kidding — but it's actually a joke Koreans make all the time.

Other Seollal dishes:

• 잡채 (japchae) — Stir-fried sweet potato noodles
• 전 (jeon) — Various Korean pancakes
• 갈비찜 (galbijjim) — Braised beef short ribs
• 식혜 (sikhye) — Sweet rice drink

Traditional Seollal Games

Seollal isn't just about food. There are traditional games too:

• 윷놀이 (yutnori) — Traditional board game with wooden sticks
• 연날리기 (yeonnalligi) — Kite flying
• 제기차기 (jegichagi) — Korean version of hacky sack
• 화투 (hwatu) — Flower card game (very popular, often played for money between uncles)

윷놀이 is my favorite. It's a board game where you throw wooden sticks instead of dice. Families compete in games that quickly get very animated. I've seen 80-year-old grandmothers become extremely competitive.

January 1st in Korea

January 1st is much quieter. Koreans often go to see the first sunrise of the year — 해돋이 (haedoji). Popular spots are on the east coast, notably 정동진 (Jeongdongjin) and 간절곶 (Ganjeolgot).

The expression for January 1st is the same: 새해 복 많이 받으세요. But the atmosphere is more relaxed. It's more of a friends thing, while Seollal is reserved for family.

New Year Expressions Summary

My Best Seollal Memory

My most beautiful Seollal was the third one. My in-laws had bought me a 한복 (hanbok) — the traditional Korean costume. I knelt before my in-laws to perform the 세배 wearing the hanbok, and my mother-in-law cried. It wasn't sadness — it was the joy of seeing a foreigner embrace their traditions. That day, I understood that language isn't just words. It's a bridge to people's hearts.

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