[Korea.net] Seollal Lunar New Year's, a holiday that reminds us of the meaning of family, is now behind us.

During the holidays, families came together across the country to share bowls of tteokguk rice cake soup, symbolic of growing one year older. The younger generation practiced their sebae, or extra deep bows, to family elders, who in turn gave the younger people sebaetdon cash gifts and many words of blessing.

Starting Jan. 26, two days ahead of Seollal, expressways were jammed with cars heading home for the holidays. Despite the long journey, families never lost their smiles, eager as they were to reunite with their parents and relatives.

While some families journeyed to their family homes over the four-day weekend, some stayed right here in Seoul, and enjoyed outings to nearby tourist attractions.

At well-known spots like Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Namsangol Hanok Village and the Unhyeonggung royal residence, a number of Seollal festivities welcomed visitors. Even tourists who may have been unfamiliar with Korean Seollal traditions joined in the fun and sampled some tteokguk rice cake soup or tried their hand at yutnori, a traditional four-stick board game, as well as tuho, an arrow-throwing game.

By Jeon Han, Lee Hana
Korea.net Staff Writers
Photos: Jeon Han Korea.net Photographer, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
hanjeon@korea.kr

In celebration of Seollal Lunar New Year's holidays, the Gangneung nongak farmer's music troupe performs at the National Folk Museum of Korea on Jan. 29.

Two sisters play the yutnori board game with giant plastic sticks in the courtyard of the Unhyeonggung royal residence on Jan. 28.

Snow falls in the courtyard of Gyeongbokgung Palace on Jan. 29, but that doesn't stop locals and tourists alike from visiting the royal residence during the Seollal Lunar New Year's holidays.

Visitors file into the Namsangol Hanok Village on Jan. 30 to take a look at the traditional houses there.

A family of Chinese tourists try their hand at tuho, an arrow-throwing game, at the Unhyeonggung royal residence on Jan. 28.