π How Koreans Celebrate Birthdays
π More Than Just Cake and Candles!
Korean birthday celebrations go beyond singing a song and blowing out candles. Birthdays are tied to family, tradition, and even national identity! From the meaningful "Doljanchi" for 1-year-olds to modern cafe parties for friends, birthdays in Korea reveal how culture meets celebration.
π₯Ά 1. Doljanchi (First Birthday Celebration)
| Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| λμ‘μ΄ | dol-ja-bi | Item-picking event) |
| λμ | dol-sang | 1 year birthday table display |
π± 2. Korean Age vs International Age
In Korea, age was traditionally calculated differently:
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When you're born, you're already 1 year old.
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Everyone adds a year together on January 1st, not on their birthday.
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This means someone born in December could be “2 years old” in Korean age right away.
✅ Since 2023, Korea officially switched to the international age system in government documents — but you’ll still hear people mention their “Korean age” in casual conversation!
π 3. Modern Korean Birthday Traditions
Today, many Koreans celebrate with:
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Seaweed soup (λ―Έμκ΅ / mi-yeok-guk) in the morning (symbol of birth and gratitude to mothers)
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Group dinners with friends
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Cafe or karaoke party
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Gift exchange or heartfelt messages on social media
πΆ Common Birthday Vocabulary
| Korean | Pronunciation | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| μμΌ μΆνν©λλ€ | saeng-il chu-ka-ham-ni-da | Happy Birthday |
| λ―Έμκ΅ | mi-yeok-guk | Seaweed soup |
| μ λ¬Ό | seon-mul | Gift |
| μμΌ μΌμ΄ν¬ | saeng-il ke-i-keu | Birthday cake |
| νν° | pa-ti | Party |
π£️ Practice Sentences
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μ€λ μ μμΌμ΄μμ.
→ O-neul je saeng-il-i-e-yo.
→ It's my birthday today. -
μμΌ μΆνν΄μ!
→ Saeng-il chu-ka-hae-yo!
→ Happy birthday! -
μΉκ΅¬λ€μ΄ μμΌ νν°λ₯Ό μ€λΉνμ΄μ.
→ Chin-gu-deul-i saeng-il pa-ti-reul jun-bi-hae-sseo-yo.
→ My friends prepared a birthday party.
π©π« Learn Korean Through Culture
In our class, we explore how Korean culture connects with real-life expressions — from traditional birthdays to daily phrases. Practice speaking with real context!
π Book a class with me on italki:
https://www.italki.com/ko/teacher/7916559
π¬ Have any questions?
Leave a comment below — I’d love to help! π
I’ll be back soon with more fun, real-life Korean expressions! π°π·
