4+ Crazy Facts About White Day In Korea

White Day In Korea

Did you know that in South Korea there are two Valentine’s Day holidays that bless you with more bliss and more extravagant gifts? In this blog post, we will tell you all about a day in South Korea when chocolate factories work more shifts and the supermarkets sell ready-made white marshmallows. If you never knew there was a popular holiday called White Day In Korea, then let’s get started!

What Is White day in Korea?

As the world is full of hatred, hardships, struggle, and less humanity, where people are running after materialistic things, dying for money, status, jobs, careers, etc. there is a dire need for occasions where people spread love and affection towards each other and forget all the negativity. Days like White Day pave the path for getting rid of harmful feelings and spreading love.

Every nation has its specialized holidays and so does Korea. There are many unique facts about this day. This day can also be called a love day because every couple expresses their love for each other. Some people do this by saying the Korean phrase Saranghaeyo i.e I love you to make their partners feel loved and special. It is a commercialized holiday as Marshmallows were marketed on this day. There are lots of preparations for his holiday in Korea. It is also known as the second Valentine’s Day.

Romantic holiday in South Korea

People of South Korea cherish this romantic holiday called the White Day on March 14th every year. It is celebrated exactly a month after Valentine’s Day. During this important holiday, romantic partners exchange gifts with each other. Gifts received on Valentine’s Day become reciprocal to the gifts on White Day. This holiday originated in Japan and then spread to countries like Korea and China. This fun day is basically for boys to show love for girls. The exchange of gifts happens on this day. Convenience stores are full of people buying pleasantries for their partners.

History of White Day

White Day In Korea is known to be celebrated in 1978 by the National Confectionery Industry Association for the very first time. It is also called an answer day to Valentine’s Day, as men pay back girls in return for chocolates and lots of other gifts that boys had received on Valentine’s Day.

Important gifts on White Day

More extra vagrant gifts are known to be exchanged on this day. Chocolate companies market white chocolate, which is considered an important gift to be exchanged on this day. White marshmallows are an integral part of this fun little holiday. People receive so many marshmallows that this day has been given the nickname Marshmallow Day. Chocolate, white flowers, treat baskets, large stuffed teddy bears, and jewelry for women are the common gifts of this day. Candy is considered an important way to confess one’s love. Every gift is mostly white. This is an expression of social obligation.

Reason for choosing white color for this day

There was a pretty good reason for choosing a white color. The white color is known as a color of purity to express pure love.

Attractive Facts About White Day In Korea

4 attractive facts about Korean white day

White Day is just celebrated in some countries like Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China while other parts of the world do not celebrate this day. It is one month later than Valentine’s Day (which is a universal love day). 

  • Valentine’s Day is known to be celebrated in a way that both partners i.e girls and boys exchange gifts with each other while it is celebrated differently in Korea. Only women are supposed to give presents to men and men just receive and enjoy them throughout the day. While White Day in Korea is known to be the day in which men return those gifts to women. That is why it is also called an answer day or a reply day. all the convenience stores are full of people buying gifts for their partners in the second week of March.
  • These gifts should be very expensive as per the tradition called Sanbai Gaeshi ( this is a Japanese tradition in which the amount of the gift should be at least three times the gifts received from women on Valentine’s Day. So men usually give expensive jewelry, clothes, etc.
  • Single people have hope. After one month of White Day, there is a Black Day celebrated in Korea. Single people enjoy their singularity on this day. It is on 14th April. On this occasion, the people who are alone and without partners go out and eat jjajjanginyeong which is known as noodles among us. They cherish being alone by eating them. This is their meal of the day.

Korean words related to White day

Following are certain words with their English translation that are common among Koreans at the event of White Day:

  • 여자친구 (Yeojachingu) is a Korean word for girlfriend.
  • 남자친구 (Namjachingu) is for a boyfriend. So this is a day on which every 남자친구 (Namjachingu) presents gifts to his 여자친구 (Yeojachingu).
  • 사탕 (Satang) is called candy in English. 사탕 (Satang) is an integral part of this day as it is gifted to every girl from his boy.
  • 사랑해요 (Saranghaeyo) is the phrase of this day. Every couple expresses their love through this. The English translation for this word is I love you.
  • 데이티 (Daeti) is the word used for every couple who goes on a date with their loved ones on this particular day.
  • 삼월십사이 (Samwol Sipsail) is the phrase for march 14. as the White Day is celebrated on March 14.
  • 꽃다발 (Kkotdabal) is the Korean word for a bouquet as every man gives a bouquet to his lover.
Difference Of Valentines Day And White Day In Korea

Differences between valentine’s day and white day

Both these days are romantic holidays. These days are known for exchanging gifts among partners:

  • Valentine’s Day is known for girls giving gifts to guys while the White Day is reciprocal of those gifts given a month earlier by their women.
  • Valentine’s Day is celebrated on the 14th of February while the White Day is cherished on the 14th of march.
  • Valentine’s Day is celebrated all over the world while the White Day is famous and celebrated only in Japan, South Korea, China, and Taiwan.
  • There is no specificity of giving gifts on Valentine’s Day whoever in a relationship wants to give gifts can while the White Day is specifically known for men giving gifts to women. It s a day on which man shows and expresses their love for their women.

Origin of Valentine’s day

Valentine’s Day was innovated in AD 496 by Pope Gelasius. The reason behind this day is to give respect to Saint Valentine, who was a Christian martyr. It was the first romantic holiday of that time due to which the tradition of love flourished. Greeting cards for Valentine’s Day were a known fashion in Great Britain.

Origin of White Day

However White Day originated in Japan. And it was introduced by the confectionery industry, situated in Japan. It was first cherished in 1979. First-ever gift of a White Day that was given is known to be Marshmallow which was marketed by Ishimura Mancido and was a Fukuoka-based confectionery company.

Customs for Valentine’s day

Presenting flowers is one of the main customs of this day. Greeting cards are sent to each other. Love birds usually go out with their partner on a date to enjoy this particular day. doves, heart signs, and the figure of a winged cupid are the symbols of Valentine’s Day. Giving chocolates is one of the sweet gestures done by mostly women to press their love for their partners. The chocolate presented can either be called home-Choko meaning chocolate of love or giri Choko representing courtesy chocolate. If women present handmade chocolates to men it indicates that this man is the only man in that woman’s life.

Customs of White day

The White Day started in Japan and it is known for returning gifts. Those should be more worth than men had received from women on Valentine’s Day. Sabai gaeshi is the term that describes this rule and it means thrice the return. If men do not return the gifts according to this rule it symbolizes that men are considering themselves superior to women or if men return a gift that is an equal price to a gift received from women it symbolizes that he is ending the relationship. That is why giving Jewelry and expensive clothes are encouraged.

Red Color For Valentine’s Day

The red color is associated with Valentine’s Day as is the color of love while white color is for the White Day as white is for purity so it shows the purity of love.

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