Why girls don't get Valentine's Day gifts in Tokyo, Seoul
MANILA -- For those guys who are grumbling about having to buy gifts for their girlfriends this Valentine's Day, consider heading to Tokyo or Seoul.
In South Korea and Japan, Valentine's Day is a time when women express their affection for their boyfriends or husbands by giving them chocolates or presents.
But women shouldn't fret -- they will get a chance to be showered with expensive chocolates or jewelry on March 14, which is called "White Day."
In Seoul, there's even a day for single people to wallow in their loneliness. They meet with their single friends to eat bowls of black bean noodles (jajangmyeon) on "Black Day" (April 14).
As if the pressure of Valentine's Day and White Day is not enough, South Korean couples also celebrate various romantic days throughout the year such as Rose Day (May 14); Kiss Day (June 14) and Pepero Day (November 11). Pepero Day is named after the chocolate covered-cookie sticks, which look like the number 11.
Meanwhile, in Thailand, many couples choose Valentine's Day to register their marriage. Hundreds of brides and grooms head to the district office of Bang Rak in Bangkok, since its name means "Village of Love."
Thai women also head to Trimurti shrine, located in front of Central World in Bangkok, to offer red roses and candles to kneel before the Hindu deity and pray they will find love.
In Peru, Valentine's Day is usually celebrated by young couples with chocolates, flowers and other presents. Peruvians would take their girlfriends out for dinner and take romantic walks in the parks. One popular spot is "Parque del amor" (Love Park), located in the esplanade of Miraflores district in Lima. Here, there is a stone sculpture "The Kiss" by a leading Peru artist Victor Delfin.
In Germany, you may find people exchanging heart-shaped gingerbread cookies with messages such as "Ich Liebe Dich" (I love you) on Valentine's Day. These Lebkuchen are usually found in festivals during Oktoberfest.