The unique Lunar New Year diet of young Koreans, after listening to it, must be controversial

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, instead of gathering with family, more and more young Koreans choose to stay in the city, live alone and celebrate in their own way.

In the early morning of January 24, young people in their 20s and 30s who did not return to their hometowns gathered at a welfare center in Gwanak District, Seoul (South Korea) to participate in the "Sharing Service" program on the occasion of the Lunar New Year. Most of the young people live in single-person households. They wear aprons, skillfully preparing traditional dishes such as rice cake soup, bulgogi, and jeon cakes. Jeong Ji-sun (32), who is in charge of baking, shared, "Instead of eating alone during the holidays, I want to cook and share Tet meals with people who really need them."

The finished dishes were handed over to disadvantaged households in Gwanak district. The young people visited the elderly who lived alone or had difficulty walking, bringing dishes with affectionate Tet wishes.

Ms. Shin Yeon-soon (73 years old), one of the recipients of the meal, emotionally shared: "I feel very happy, like celebrating the Lunar New Year with my daughter and granddaughter in the family."

Lim Min-ji, the welfare worker in charge of organizing the "Sharing Service" program, shared, "I was worried that the long Lunar New Year holiday would result in no participants. Thankfully, the program went smoothly thanks to the enthusiastic response of young people who did not return to their hometowns for Tet."

More and more "honseol people" - who celebrate the Lunar New Year alone, do not return to their hometowns. Their reasons are very diverse, from studying for exams, preparing to find a job to being busy with part-time work, leading to the decision to celebrate Tet in their own way.

In particular, in the context of increasing difficulties in employment, the number of young people choosing to stay to focus on studying for exams or preparing for work during Tet is also increasing. The reason is that civil service exams and important professional certificates are usually held within 1-2 months after Tet. For example, the national civil servant recruitment exam at level 5 and the exam for diplomatic candidates will take place on March 8, the first written exam for police officers on March 15, and the CPA (Certified Public Accountant Certificate) exam will be held on February 23 this year.

Kim Seo-yoon (23), a student at a university in Seoul, shared, "Since I entered university, I have been going back to my hometown every year to celebrate Tet with my parents. But this year, I decided not to go home because I had to prepare for the exam in March. I will study for the exam as usual to achieve the best results."

Similarly, Wie (24), who is looking for a job, also said, "If I don't go back to my hometown, I will have about four more days to study, so I decided to stay in Seoul alone." He added, "I hope that after the exam I can go back to my hometown on the occasion of Chuseok in a more relaxed mood."

Many other young people do not return to their hometowns because they are busy with work. Baek Yerim, 26, who runs a fashion brand, said she couldn't go back to her hometown because she had to prepare new products for the upcoming spring and summer. Yerim decided to stay in his room in Seongbuk District. During the day, she focuses on working for the brand, and in the evening, she has dinner with friends who also stay in Seoul.

In addition, some young people are looking for short-term part-time jobs during the Lunar New Year. According to a survey by "Alba Heaven" - a job search platform, 389 people (66%) out of 585 survey participants said they would work part-time during the Tet holiday. Currently, on platforms such as Alba Heaven and Carrot Market, many part-time jobs are posted, from walking dogs, making jeon cakes, to serving at restaurants.

Choi Yu-ri, 26, who is working part-time for a friend at a coffee shop because she is back home for the holidays, said: "In the past, even if I wanted to work at a coffee shop, I used to have to commit to working for at least three months. But this time, I had the opportunity to experience it for a short time. While on holiday and working, it is convenient both ways."

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the atmosphere of family reunions on holidays has decreased, leading to many young people choosing to celebrate Tet alone. Ryu Han-bin, a 24-year-old graduate student, said, "In the past, my grandparents always wanted to reunite their families on holidays, so I often went back to my hometown. But since the 'no gathering' holidays during the pandemic, everything in the house has changed." Ryu plans to visit several tourist attractions, eat at restaurants, or watch movies at home during this vacation.

Some other young people choose to avoid returning to their hometowns so as not to be questioned by their families too much. Sung (30 years old), who volunteered for the first time on New Year's Day, shared: "Even though the vacation was long, I didn't go back to my hometown because of the pressure when preparing to apply for a job. Instead of hearing uncomfortable questions from relatives, I find it better to do something meaningful, even when I'm alone."

Experts advise that, even if you live alone, it is very important to stay in touch with society. Professor Seok Jae-eun, a social welfare major at Hallym University, said: "If family is taken for granted, people who live alone are more likely to feel lonely. It's essential to find someone in the same situation or participate in activities that help you feel valued."

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