Korea over New Year and Seollal: customs, what closes and sunrise spots

New Year's Eve in Seoul

• The biggest event is the bell-ringing ceremony at Bosingak, a pavilion at Jonggak in central Seoul. At midnight the great bell is struck 33 times, a tradition dating from 1953, by the mayor and invited citizens. It is shown live on national TV.
• Crowds are huge and the area around Jonggak and Gwanghwamun closes to traffic. Some subway trains skip Jonggak Station that night; use a nearby station and expect to walk.
• Many people watch the countdown at home, or at parties and other events around the city.
• Restaurants and bars are busy, and taxis are hard to find after midnight. Check last trains; services are sometimes extended on the night, but do not count on it.

The first sunrise

• Jeongdongjin (Gangneung): famous since a 1990s drama, with a station right by the beach. Special sunrise trains from Seoul have run in some years; check Korail.
• Homigot (Pohang): the easternmost point of the mainland, known for the Hand of Harmony sculpture, one hand in the sea and one on land. A sunrise festival is often held on 1 January.
• Ganjeolgot (Ulsan): another of the first places on the mainland to see the sun.
• Seongsan Ilchulbong (Jeju): a volcanic crater whose name means "sunrise peak".
• In Seoul: Namsan, Achasan and other hills hold sunrise events.

Seollal customs

• Charye: an ancestral memorial rite with a table of food, held in the morning by many families.
• Sebae: children and younger relatives bow deeply to their elders, wishing them a happy new year with "saehae bok mani badeuseyo" (receive many blessings in the new year). Elders reply with good wishes and envelopes of money (sebaetdon).
• Tteokguk: a soup of sliced rice cakes in broth, eaten on the morning of Seollal. Traditionally, eating a bowl makes you one year older.
• Hanbok and games: some families wear hanbok and play yutnori, a board game with wooden sticks.
• Gifts such as fruit, meat, ginseng or practical sets of oil and spam are exchanged beforehand.

What closes

• Many independent restaurants, market stalls and small shops close for some or all of Seollal, especially on the day itself.
• Banks and government offices close for the holiday.
• Department stores and some large shops close on Seollal day, or open shorter hours.
• Convenience stores, chain cafés, many tourist-area restaurants, hotels and big attractions usually stay open.
• Palaces, museums and folk villages often stay open and host holiday programmes such as traditional games; some offer free entry, but closing days vary. Check each site's notices.
• 1 January is a one-day public holiday; most things stay open apart from banks and offices.

Travelling at Seollal

• The days either side of Seollal bring the biggest migration of the year. KTX and intercity bus tickets sell out soon after sale opens, and motorways are jammed.
• Plan intercity travel for the middle days of the holiday, when traffic often drops, or travel well before or after.
• Seoul itself becomes noticeably quieter, which makes it a pleasant time to see the sights.

Visitors' tips

1. Book transport and accommodation early for both New Year's Eve and Seollal.
2. Learn "saehae bok mani badeuseyo"; people love hearing it.
3. Try tteokguk at a restaurant if you are not invited to a family meal.
4. Keep some cash for the days when smaller places are closed and options are limited.