First, the lantern festival. Lotus lanterns have a traditional role in Korean culture thanks to Buddhism. But this festival, which this year coincided with the G20 Summit being held in Seoul, celebrates many different aspects of Korean culture through lanterns of many shapes and sizes. And with the G20 in town, lanterns representing different countries of the world dotted the beautiful Cheonggyecheon Stream.
Thursday also was an interesting day as it was 11/11, which in Korea means a celebration almost like Valentine's Day (which they also celebrate) sweeps the country. It's called Pepero Day after the thin wafer stick dipped in chocolate of the same name. Lotte, the company that began manufacturing pepero in 1983, denies that it's behind the holiday, but it's official origins are unknown.
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| Different varieties of pepero, with the traditional on the right. |
Regardless, every year on 11/11 people, mostly students, other young people and couples, exchange pepero sticks, other candies and small gifts. Promptly at 8 a.m. this morning I had a student give me my first box of pepero for the day. But I came well prepared myself (thanks to my friends at AnsanAnswers for tipping me off) with a variety box of pepero. I let each of the teachers in my office pick what kind they wanted, and I still had more than enough to dole out as treats for students throughout the day. And I received and ate more than my fair share. Thankfully a box is less than 150 calories! Still, I don't want to know how many calories I showed down in chocolate sticks today!
Overall, it seems like the type of contrived holiday, think Sweetest Day, that back home I abhor, but it was fun to experience it once, especially when the students are so excited to give me a gift.
I can't imagine what next year, 11/11/11, will be like!
Those look like the Japanese Pocky sticks... are they basically the same? I wonder if they have Pocky stick day in Japan. :P
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