[MANNAM] Korean Culture of Birthday Ⅱ: “Dol-jan-chi (First Birthday Celebration)”

Hi, MANNAM International friends! While staying in Korea, have you ever attended in a Korean first birthday celebration? Since it is the first birthday for a baby, his or her parents prepare a lot for it.

On the first birthday, parents invite their relatives, friends, and colleagues and hold a big party. The baby is dressed in “Han-bok (Korean traditional clothes)” which is usually very colorful. Usually, parents will keep the “Han-bok” until their child becomes an adult.

Parents also prepare a big table, on which there is a big birthday cake, all kinds of fruits, flowers, and toys. The big table is called “Dol-sang” in Korean language.

Among the several events during the party, one event what all guests are expecting is “Dol-jab-i” — to see the baby choosing one object usually among a book, a microphone, a small ball, and some cash. Korean people think one’s future job can be predicted according to the object which the baby chooses on the first birthday. For example, if the baby chooses a book, he or she may probably be a scholar or a professor; if a microphone, he or she may be a singer; if a small ball, the infant is very likely to be a sportsman; and if some cash, then the child has a possibility to be a businessman. Nowadays, parents also add a computer mouth for their baby to choose. If the baby chooses the mouse, his or her future job may probably be a computer engineer.

MANNAM International friends, you can also ask your Korean friends what they chose on their first birthday and see if the prediction is correct. Different cultures, interesting stories. We don’t know each other’s culture until we share it. Let’s introduces each one’s culture and make a world full of understanding, respect, and happiness.