Seollal: Kicking in the Lunar New Year Korean style

Since the Korean Cultural Centre was opened in Abuja five years ago, the beginning of the lunar year has always been celebrated in Abuja and this year was no exception as on Thursday, friends and lovers of Korea and its culture converged at the centre to usher in the New Year.The significance of the event […]

Since the Korean Cultural Centre was opened in Abuja five years ago, the beginning of the lunar year has always been celebrated in Abuja and this year was no exception as on Thursday, friends and lovers of Korea and its culture converged at the centre to usher in the New Year.
The significance of the event is historical, according to the Director of the Korean Cultural Centre, Abuja Mr. Kwon Yong Ik is that it could be traced back to the 6th century and the Koreans consider it the “real New Year”.
The festivities to mark the event are family centered, as a Nigerian students studying in Korea said. He described a holiday season where Koreans desert the capital Seoul and return to their hometowns to kick off the New Year with their families.
Some of the spirit of the event was incarnated in Abuja when Mr. Ik and his wife in their colourful hanbok (traditional Korean wear) sat down to receive the “sebea” greetings from young students of Taekwondo and Korean language students at the centre.
After offering deep bows to the Koreans, the students were rewarded with envelopes containing cash, as part of the tradition.
There were music and dances, first by the Centre’s language students, all decked out in colourful hanboks and singing in Korean. Afterwards the K-Pop dance group from JSS Area 11 thrilled the audience with their dance moves to Nigerian and Korean pop songs.
But the celebration would not have been complete without the traditional games to celebrate it and guests were later ushered to the Taekwondo Hall for traditional Korean games including Yutnori, Jegichagi and Tuho.
For Mr. Ik, the event in Abuja is not only important on a personal level but it is an avenue for cultural exchange which he says his Centre will continue to use to promote better relations with Nigeria.
“Through these practices, it is my wish to enrich the cultural sharing between Korea and Nigeria, understand each other’s culture, and have great memories of our New Year’s Day of 2015,” he said.
The fun-filled evening came to a close with reception featuring some Korean cuisine and presentation of prizes to those who participated in the games.