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[Lifehacks] Don't be caught empty-handed on these special days

Published: 10 Mar. 2022, 19:36 Updated: 03 Mar. 2023, 17:30

A box of chocolate by chocolatier Adore, made as a limited edition product for this year. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

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Major couples’ days

Chocolate shops in Korea are busy preparing for the weekend crowd ahead of White Day on Monday, March 14. Though possibly not as widely celebrated as the holiday that comes precisely one month earlier in the year, it is still a special day that many couples celebrate in Korea, similar to Valentine’s Day.

There are a few more special days throughout the year, like White Day, that people not from Korea may not be familiar with. For your future reference, we've compiled a list of these days so you can plan ahead when expressing your love for that someone special.

How do you choose which days to celebrate?

Since there are a handful of different days especially for couples, a pair will usually decide, after a couple of months into the relationship, on which days they would like to invest their time and money. Valentine’s Day and Christmas are two big holidays that many couples in Korea celebrate together.

Similar to how chocolate is synonymous with Valentine’s Day, other days also have a certain item associated with it. These special days aren't official holidays, but rather just fun days to celebrate for anyone, or any couple, who cares to take part.

Gifts don't have to be expensive, and many common retail shops, 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 run promotions for sweets ahead of White Day on March 14. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

What days do couples celebrate in Korea?

In chronological order, couples will often 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. The 14th of every month in Korea has at one point been made into some sort of special day to celebrate, but most, save the few which will be mentioned below, have been all but phased out. Here, we will share the commonly celebrated days that take place in the first half of the year.

White Day (화이트데이)

When is it? March 14
What do you do? In Korea, traditionally, women give men chocolate on Valentine’s Day and men give women candy on White Day. Nowadays, however, some couples are opting to skip White Day altogether and just exchange sweets of any type or gifts with each other on Valentine’s Day. White Day is said to have started in Japan, and the idea spread to other Asian countries like Korea and Singapore.

A special White Day cake at Cedrat, a cake shop in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

What do you buy? Major dessert shops unveil special, limited edition products for Valentine’s Day. White Day options may not as diverse as those for Valentine’s Day, but there won't be a lack of options. Those who want to buy something less generic than what's available at convenience stores or department stores should look for small, independent pastry shops or chocolatiers. Many shops in Gangnam District, southern Seoul; Seongdong District, eastern Seoul; and Mapo District, western Seoul, prepare special boxes of sweet treats. Some pastry shops unveil cakes decorated in white, inspired by the occasion, and may cost around 50,000 won ($40). Some chocolate shops come out with different themed boxes every year, with a box costing some 60,000 won on average. For anyone looking for more affordable options, convenience stores also carry plenty of choices.

Chocolatier Piaf in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, offers a box of chocolates in a box inspired by gyeongdae, a traditional Korean make-up box with a mirror. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Are these special boxes ready at shops? Since some shops have garnered a tasty reputation, they require reservations in advance. Even the reservations are sold out instantly — some sell out within just 30 seconds — after the reservation website opens. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that almost all chocolate shops test their limits around Valentine’s Day and White Day. They spend months coming up with a special box to make theirs stand out from others. In the past couple of years, local dessert shops have led the trend in making these boxes of sweets prettier and more attractive, changing the design and flavors of chocolate inside every year. Thankfully, only the few that are extremely popular go to those lengths, and many options are available without any prior reservation.

Black Day (블랙데이)
When is it? April 14

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

What do you do? Also known as Singles' Day, people who didn’t get any gifts on either Valentine’s Day or White Day get together to eat jjajangmyeon (noodles with black bean sauce). This tradition isn’t practiced as widely as before, but some still take part in for fun. Although not technically a day for couples, who knows — maybe sharing a bowl of noodles will spark a new beginning.

Bouquets of roses available at SSG Food Market [YONHAP]

Rose Day (로즈데이)
When is it? May 14
What do you do? As the name implies, couples exchange roses. Flower lovers wanting to keep the tradition alive will still exchange bunches of roses, though many couples who do choose to take part will give one singular flower. The price of flowers tend to get more expensive in May due to Parents Day (May 8) and Teacher’s Day (May 15), when many people purchase flowers as gifts.

Coming of Age (성년의날)

Retail stores offer sales and promotions for people turning 19 years old. [NEWS1]

When is it? 3rd Monday of May

What do you do? Everyone who turns 19 sometime that year celebrates their entry into adulthood on this day. Many freshmen in college turn 19, officially and legally becoming adults. Parents, friends or romantic partners usually prepare three things for the person turning 19 — roses, a bottle of perfume and a kiss. If you are dating someone that turns 19 that year, you might want to have one, if not all, of those three things ready.

BY LEE SUN-MIN [[email protected]]