Korean Wedding Traditions
JoyMaria Kim
Each wedding has its own customs and traditions. South Korea has unique ways to celebrate their weddings. Depending on your religion, people may be married in different places such as the church, on the beach, or even in their parent’s home backyard. The traditional place that most people get married in is their backyard or their parent’s backyard. A backyard is spacious and welcoming. However a backyard cannot fit many people so it is hard to be invited and celebrate the beautiful day with them. If they do have a big wedding in a hotel or wedding place, many of the guests are unknown, such as tourists. Unlike America, weddings in Korea last about 30 minutes and photographs are highly discouraged during the ceremony. The Korean style of wedding and ceremony is different from the American style of getting married, though it might be connected more to the western countries’ style of wedding around it.
There are five steps to the traditional Korean wedding culture. The first step is called, Nappye. It is presenting the bride with gifts and a marriage letter. The groom places it into a chest and his friends bring it to the bride. The next step is for the groom to go to the bride’s house and give the bride’s mother a wild goose. About 2,000, a live goose was used but now a wooden goose is used. A wild goose is the symbol of lifelong commitment (Toronto Star 2002). This step is called, Jeonallye. The third step in the ceremony is Gyobaerye. It is during the ceremony when the bride and groom see each other for the first time that day, and exchange ceremonial bows. The fourth step is, Hapgeullye, which is when the wine is served in a gourd dipper. It symbolizes that the bride and groom were born separately but was being united through marriage. The fifth and final step of the ceremony is Pyebaek. This is after the wedding when the newlyweds sit and pay their respects to the groom’s family. The mother in law gives the bride jujubes which symbolize riches, honor, and male heirs. This is only open to family, no friends and no tourists.
The traditions in Korea have changed over time and some people still like the old traditional way, but many people have moved on to the new way. People have their different opinions on their choice of clothing, such as people who like traditions like to wear their hanbok, a Korean traditional dress usually worn on special occasions, and others like wearing the traditional white dress. Hanbok are bright colorful traditional clothing and there are many layers. There are photos during the wedding and after the wedding when the bride and groom wear their hanbok. The groom sits on the east and the bride sits on the west while there is feast set in front of them on a table. According to the bride’s opinion during the traditional pictures, the bride wears a very heavy wig where her hair is up in braids wrapped around her head. Likewise, in the early days of Korea the married women put their hair up, while the other girls or women wore their hair down in a braid. The men may wear a suit or tuxedo, and during the photos, they will wear their traditional hanbok.
Of course the reception is huge! The reception includes the meal, exchanging of gifts, and dancing. Depending on the size of the wedding, they might want to have catered food or family and friends can cook food. There are many entrees depending on if they are having lunch, dinner, or even breakfast. It is in a buffet style which can include, bulgogi-beef, dwaejibulgogi-spicy beef, or mandoo-korean dumpling. One traditional dish that many people bring to their wedding for dessert is duk. Duk is a type of rice cake, it has a very bland taste and is not very sweet. On the side for dessert, there’s also cut up fruit. In Korea, people prefer a not too sweet meal. For the drinks people drink tea or Sikhye-a rice water drink. Most Asian weddings, including Korea, use chopsticks and spoons to eat their meal
Sometimes, like in other countries, parents pull two people together and have them get married (Kendall 1996). Unlike other countries, sometimes parents in Korea bring two people together but it is ultimately their choice to get married or not. Each family has their desire for a specific person, someone who is powerful, or someone who is calm. The bride wears a lot of makeup that might be changed throughout the day. Sometimes a bride is carried in a little box toward the ceremony and is helped out when they get to the end of the aisle. After the ceremony is ended, the groom carries the bride toward another place where Pyebaek happens.
Like most weddings, people bring gifts for the new couple! Instead of gifts, the guests bring money for the bride or groom. This money is used to help pay for the wedding ceremony and food cost. Most weddings are held in weddings halls, hotels, or at a church. If the day of the wedding is in spring or on a sunny day the wedding might be held outside, so to avoid getting hot and sweaty guests bring paper fans. Though different countries have their own traditions, Korea is similar to American traditions. Grooms cannot see the bride before the wedding, the bride is the center of attraction, there is a meal after the ceremony, and weddings are the unity of two people or two families.
After the wedding, there are many bills to pay and it’s hard to figure out who pays for what. Usually the family who is richer, pays most of it, but if they are about equal in finances there will be an order of who pays. Both families pay an equal amount for the wedding ceremony and the reception/food. The groom’s family usually pays for the house that the newlyweds buy, while the bride’s family pays for the furniture and home appliances. After the wedding, there is of course, a honeymoon.
In conclusion, Korean weddings have many modern twists in their wedding tradition now, as do most countries. They are special in their own way and have a different order of ceremony and different foods. Even if it is the first time seeing your bride or groom, their wedding day is going to be one of the happiest days of their life. It’s not only the bringing of two people but two families, cultures, and ethnic groups. Though they may come from a different ethnic group, it is still very interesting to have a different style or culture wedding.
Each wedding has its own customs and traditions. South Korea has unique ways to celebrate their weddings. Depending on your religion, people may be married in different places such as the church, on the beach, or even in their parent’s home backyard. The traditional place that most people get married in is their backyard or their parent’s backyard. A backyard is spacious and welcoming. However a backyard cannot fit many people so it is hard to be invited and celebrate the beautiful day with them. If they do have a big wedding in a hotel or wedding place, many of the guests are unknown, such as tourists. Unlike America, weddings in Korea last about 30 minutes and photographs are highly discouraged during the ceremony. The Korean style of wedding and ceremony is different from the American style of getting married, though it might be connected more to the western countries’ style of wedding around it.
There are five steps to the traditional Korean wedding culture. The first step is called, Nappye. It is presenting the bride with gifts and a marriage letter. The groom places it into a chest and his friends bring it to the bride. The next step is for the groom to go to the bride’s house and give the bride’s mother a wild goose. About 2,000, a live goose was used but now a wooden goose is used. A wild goose is the symbol of lifelong commitment (Toronto Star 2002). This step is called, Jeonallye. The third step in the ceremony is Gyobaerye. It is during the ceremony when the bride and groom see each other for the first time that day, and exchange ceremonial bows. The fourth step is, Hapgeullye, which is when the wine is served in a gourd dipper. It symbolizes that the bride and groom were born separately but was being united through marriage. The fifth and final step of the ceremony is Pyebaek. This is after the wedding when the newlyweds sit and pay their respects to the groom’s family. The mother in law gives the bride jujubes which symbolize riches, honor, and male heirs. This is only open to family, no friends and no tourists.
The traditions in Korea have changed over time and some people still like the old traditional way, but many people have moved on to the new way. People have their different opinions on their choice of clothing, such as people who like traditions like to wear their hanbok, a Korean traditional dress usually worn on special occasions, and others like wearing the traditional white dress. Hanbok are bright colorful traditional clothing and there are many layers. There are photos during the wedding and after the wedding when the bride and groom wear their hanbok. The groom sits on the east and the bride sits on the west while there is feast set in front of them on a table. According to the bride’s opinion during the traditional pictures, the bride wears a very heavy wig where her hair is up in braids wrapped around her head. Likewise, in the early days of Korea the married women put their hair up, while the other girls or women wore their hair down in a braid. The men may wear a suit or tuxedo, and during the photos, they will wear their traditional hanbok.
Of course the reception is huge! The reception includes the meal, exchanging of gifts, and dancing. Depending on the size of the wedding, they might want to have catered food or family and friends can cook food. There are many entrees depending on if they are having lunch, dinner, or even breakfast. It is in a buffet style which can include, bulgogi-beef, dwaejibulgogi-spicy beef, or mandoo-korean dumpling. One traditional dish that many people bring to their wedding for dessert is duk. Duk is a type of rice cake, it has a very bland taste and is not very sweet. On the side for dessert, there’s also cut up fruit. In Korea, people prefer a not too sweet meal. For the drinks people drink tea or Sikhye-a rice water drink. Most Asian weddings, including Korea, use chopsticks and spoons to eat their meal
Sometimes, like in other countries, parents pull two people together and have them get married (Kendall 1996). Unlike other countries, sometimes parents in Korea bring two people together but it is ultimately their choice to get married or not. Each family has their desire for a specific person, someone who is powerful, or someone who is calm. The bride wears a lot of makeup that might be changed throughout the day. Sometimes a bride is carried in a little box toward the ceremony and is helped out when they get to the end of the aisle. After the ceremony is ended, the groom carries the bride toward another place where Pyebaek happens.
Like most weddings, people bring gifts for the new couple! Instead of gifts, the guests bring money for the bride or groom. This money is used to help pay for the wedding ceremony and food cost. Most weddings are held in weddings halls, hotels, or at a church. If the day of the wedding is in spring or on a sunny day the wedding might be held outside, so to avoid getting hot and sweaty guests bring paper fans. Though different countries have their own traditions, Korea is similar to American traditions. Grooms cannot see the bride before the wedding, the bride is the center of attraction, there is a meal after the ceremony, and weddings are the unity of two people or two families.
After the wedding, there are many bills to pay and it’s hard to figure out who pays for what. Usually the family who is richer, pays most of it, but if they are about equal in finances there will be an order of who pays. Both families pay an equal amount for the wedding ceremony and the reception/food. The groom’s family usually pays for the house that the newlyweds buy, while the bride’s family pays for the furniture and home appliances. After the wedding, there is of course, a honeymoon.
In conclusion, Korean weddings have many modern twists in their wedding tradition now, as do most countries. They are special in their own way and have a different order of ceremony and different foods. Even if it is the first time seeing your bride or groom, their wedding day is going to be one of the happiest days of their life. It’s not only the bringing of two people but two families, cultures, and ethnic groups. Though they may come from a different ethnic group, it is still very interesting to have a different style or culture wedding.