In Korea New Years is the day you turn a year older. That's right. Everyone has the same birthday. When you are born you are one year old because Koreans count the time in utero as year one. Then when New Years comes around you turn 2. So, if you are born December 30th you will be two years old on your second day of life! (They still use their actual birthday to reckon age for legal things, school, passports, etc).
Koreans celebrate New Years twice in a year: on the Gregorian Calendar New Year on Jan 1, and the Chinese New Year on the second new moon after the winter solstice.
The New Year on January 1 is a family holiday. They wear traditional Korean clothing called Hanbok (see photo below). They eat Tteokguk a soup with rice cakes. The children and young generations bow to their elders to show respect and wish them a Happy New Year 새해 복 많이 받으세요 which means have a blessed New Year (see the photo below). This is a full bow to the ground. When done correctly and with respect the children earn money. My boys tried this at our house, but their bows did not earn them any money. In Korean accent they said, "We do the bow. You give us money." haha
