Residents from 21 villages in Gangneung bow to their village leaders on Feb. 17, a day after Seollal Lunar New Year’s Day, at the Joseon-era Gangneung Local Government Offices, now a historical site. This is a traditional custom practiced across the region.
By Korea.net PyeongChang Olympics Team
Photos = Jeon Han
Gangneung | Feb. 17, 2018
“We saw Korean traditions first-hand, which respects the elderly.”
So said foreign press and overseas tourists visiting Korea after observing a traditional group bow for the Seollal Lunar New Year’s, in Gangneung-si City on Feb. 17.
It was a day after Seollal Lunar New Year’s Day and also still during the ongoing Winter Olympics, the largest winter festival for all the people around the globe.
The Imyeong Daedongdo Baerye is a Seollal Lunar New Year’s bow in Gangneung that has a history of more than 400 years. This year’s group bow took place at the Gangneung Daedohobu, the former local Gangneung Government Offices from Joseon times.
People flocked to the venue more than one hour ago before the event and enjoyed joyful performances of traditional nongak farmers’ music.
This year’s group bow attracted foreign journalists who are visiting Korea to cover the Winter Olympics, as well as athletes and coaches of participating countries, and overseas tourists as well.
One of such was Jan Van Kerkhof, father of Yara Van Kerkhof from the Netherlands who won the silver medal in the women’s short track 500 m speed skating event at the Winter Olympics. He said, "The ceremony is beautiful. It shows all the respect for history, the elderly and for each other."
Mike Granato from the U.S. said he dropped by the venue after he heard the traditional music while traveling by in a taxi.
Granato said he learned about the event from a volunteer interpreter. He said, “The tradition of bowing to respect the elderly is very new to me.”
Jason Hopley, a producer at CBC Kids of Canada, said he came to the site to introduce to Canadian children aspects of traditional Korea that show outward respect for seniors.
Other international media outlets that covered the event included NBC, the official Olympic broadcaster of the U.S., and Eurosport. They covered the complete event, including the parade that brought the elderly from the nearby village to the venue, and the formal bow itself.
NBC interviews an organizer for the traditional group bow, in Gangneung on Feb. 17.
Eurosport journalist Barcosz Zanus from Poland films the traditional group bow in Gangneung on Feb. 17.
kyd1991@korea.kr
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