Valentine’s Day in Korea – What to expect during this love holiday

Just like many places in the world, Valentine’s Day is an important romantic holiday that is celebrated in Korea. However, like Japan and Taiwan, South Korea has put a unique twist on the holiday.

Curious what goes on during this lovey-dovey holiday in the Land of the Morning Calm?

We’ll tell you everything you need to know about Valentine’s Day in Korea.

Heart shaped box on a pink background

Do they celebrate Valentines Day in Korea?

Yes, Valentines Day is celebrated in South Korea on February 14. However, the way it’s celebrated is a bit different in terms of gift-giving. In Korea, women give chocolate to men on this day.

What is Valentine’s Day in Korea like?

On this holiday, convenience stores and supermarkets have large displays filled with all sorts of popular chocolates and even ready-made goodie baskets to purchase. Many stores and businesses are busy marketing their products in the early weeks of February or a week before Valentine’s day.

How is Valentine’s Day celebrated in Korea?

Couples go on dates on February 14th. It’s a happy and romantic day for couples. Although people may say that it’s not an important holiday, you should definitely pay attention to it if you are in a relationship with a Korean person. They may not care themselves, but they may be asked by their peers or friends, and it’s better if they are able something to say about celebrating it if asked.

Single people don’t celebrate this day, but they have a similar holiday for themselves called Black Day.

What makes Valentine’s Day in Korea so unique?

Although it is a holiday that was brought to Korea from the Western countries, in Korea the women give gifts to the men. The customary gift is chocolate.

This is a day where you celebrate together with your significant other if you are in a relationship. It is also seen as a great occasion for women to confess their love to men. So for single women, they can gather all their courage and grab this day to let their men know of their feelings.

What kind of gifts are given on Valentine’s Day in Korea?

The women may feel encouraged to make the chocolates by themselves. Or they might also get some high-quality handmade chocolates from chocolate shops, often complete with customization options, such as including the man’s initials on top of the chocolate. And if the woman’s crush reciprocates her feelings, she will in return receive at the very least gifts that are equally extravagant, but typically even higher in value and flashiness than what she has given out.

While Valentine’s Day is unique and fun, it can also be quite nerve-wracking for women. Not only will she have to take the first step and be the one to confess her love, but she will also have to wait a full month on White Day to see what her heart’s chosen one thinks of her!

 

Simultaneously, Valentine’s Day is in some ways less pressuring of the two big romantic holidays. If a woman is not in a relationship, she can choose to be too shy to confess her love. Conversely, a man who has been confessed to on this day by being given chocolates is expected to shower the woman with love, candies, and gifts on White Day that follows in March.

While it remains one of Korea’s most important romantic holidays, in today’s modern Korea, it is also becoming more common to offer chocolates to one’s co-workers, family, and friends on this day.

Similar Holidays

In addition to Valentine’s Day, the 14th of each and every month marks a romantic holiday of some kind. Some examples are White Day and Black Day. Most of them are smaller and only recognized by a handful of people, while some others are more important and heavily celebrated. Of them, Valentine’s Day is one of the two most important ones.

What is White Day in Korea?

White day is another holiday for Koreans for celebrating love which is observed every March 14, 1 month later than Valentine’s Day.

What is the difference between Valentine’s Day and White Day?

The difference between these 2 days lies in who gives what to whom. On Valentine’s Day, women are giving out gifts or chocolates to their valentine. Women are also the ones who get to confess their love for men.

However, on White Day, it’s the other way around. White day is for men to respond or reciprocate the love they received from women on February 14. But for single men, they can also see this day as an opportunity to confess their love for women.

What is Black Day in Korea?

Black Day is a day dedicated to all single people who didn’t receive gifts, chocolates, or confession on both Valentine’s Day and White Day. It’s a day when single friends meet each other to eat jjajangmyeon, a black noodle meal, thus called “Black Day”. It’s observed by single men and women on April 14. And unlike the other 2 days, advertising for Black Day is almost nonexistent.

What is your favorite part of Valentine’s Day in South Korea? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Valentine’s Day in Korea – What to expect during this love holiday appeared first on 90 Day Korean®.

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