Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year, falls on Sunday, February 7, 2027. Picture the whole family in colorful hanbok (traditional Korean clothing), kids bowing deeply to their grandparents and hoping for a little money in return, and a steaming bowl of tteokguk (rice cake soup) that, tradition says, makes you one year older. South Korea’s holiday runs from Saturday, February 6 to Tuesday, February 9, 2027.
When is Seollal 2027?
Seollal, the first day of the first lunar month, is Sunday, February 7, 2027, according to the Korea Aerospace Administration’s official 2027 calendar. That is one day after Chinese New Year and Vietnamese Tết, which fall on February 6. The difference comes from time zones: the new moon happens just after midnight in Seoul, but before midnight in Beijing and Hanoi. The Seollal holiday period in South Korea starts Saturday, February 6 and runs through Tuesday, February 9.
How is Seollal celebrated?
Seollal is quieter and more family-centered than a big parade, and its traditions are full of meaning:
- Charye: a morning ancestral rite in which families set out food and drink to honor their ancestors.
- Sebae: children and younger relatives make a deep New Year’s bow to their elders and wish them a good year.
- Sebaetdon: elders reply with words of advice and gifts of money.
- Tteokguk: a soup of sliced rice cakes, eaten on New Year’s morning. Tradition says eating it makes you a year older.
- Hanbok: many people wear traditional Korean clothing for the holiday.
Where to celebrate Seollal near you
Want to see Seollal traditions up close? Korean American communities hold Seollal celebrations in areas such as Los Angeles, New York and New Jersey and the Washington, DC area. See when Lunar New Year 2027 is and shared Lunar New Year traditions.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Seollal on February 7 in 2027 and not February 6?
The new moon that starts the year happens at 12:56 a.m. on February 7 Korea time, so Korea’s calendar starts the year that day. In China and Vietnam the same new moon is still on February 6.
What is the difference between Seollal and Chinese New Year?
Both mark the start of the lunar year, but the customs differ. Seollal centers on ancestral rites, the sebae bow and tteokguk, while Chinese New Year is known for reunion dinners, red envelopes and lion dances.
How long is the Seollal holiday?
In 2027, South Korea’s holiday runs four days, from Saturday, February 6 to Tuesday, February 9.