What To Know About Children's Day In Korea

Children’s Day (어린이날) is a major public holiday, or “red day”, in South Korea that falls in the spring in Korea each year. If you’re living in Korea and want to know how to celebrate Children’s Day with your family, or perhaps don’t have kids and want to know what to avoid on Children’s Day, then this is the info for you. It’s a day off of school for kids and a day away from work for salaried workers. Here is everything you should know about Children’s Day in Korea.

Get ready to learn more about Children’s Day in South Korea:

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When is Children’s Day in Korea?

Children’s Day is a national holiday, or public holidays, in Korea that falls on May 5th every year. Apparently the date was chosen because 5/5 was easy for children to remember. I’m not sure if that’s so true or just a nice little aside people say, but whatever the reason, it’s a great holiday in the spring that everyone looks forward to.

How do you say “Children’s Day” in Korean?

Children’s Day in Korean is “어린이날” (eorininal). If you’re learning Korean, you can break this down into two words: children “어린이” (eorini) and the word for day “날” (nal).

How is Children’s Day celebrated in Korea?

Children’s Day is an opportunity for families to spend quality time together. Parents, schools, and communities throughout the country come together to honor their little ones and make them feel special on Children’s Day. The most popular ways to celebrate involve being outside which may also be because the weather is finally warming up and the flowers are blooming.

Korean Children's Day, mommy and daughter in a park in Seoul, Korea

By giving gifts

The day is also marked by gift-giving, with parents often presenting their children with toys, clothes, and other special treats. When I taught in Korea, my students would often come back after the holiday to show me new stationary items as well.

One year, trying to stay away from the crowds in the parks, my husband and I took our daughter to the Eunpyeong Hanok Village and walked up to the nearby Jingwansa Temple and even the monks there were handing out little treat bags for the very few children’s that were visiting.

By visiting an amusement park

After the gift giving, one of the most popular activities for families on Children’s Day is visiting amusement parks like Everland or Lotte World. If you don’t have kids, this is probably NOT the day to head to an amusement park. They can be packed.

Buy your amusement park tickets online to get discounts:

Lotte World: Buy your tickets on Klook to get a discount now.
Everland: Buy your tickets on Klook to get a discount now.

By having a picnic in a park

Other families opt for picnics in parks around the country. If you’re in Seoul, you’ll find a ton of families in parks like World Cup Park and in the parks that lie along the Han River. Everyone will spend the entire day outside having a picnic, enjoying games, and playing together.

Who made Children’s Day?

Bang Jeong-hwan (방정환), a children’s author, created the holiday in Korea in 1923 to draw attention to the situation children faced in Korea at the time and to help instill independence and pride in children.

Royyal Dog mural, Seoul, Korea — Mural by Royyal Dog

What is the history of Children’s Day in Korea?

After the March 1st Movement in 1919, youth groups were established to instill more national spirit in children. In 1921, there was even an organization established called Cheondogyo Children’s Association (천도교소년회) that called for children to be treated as independent members of society and not property of their parents. They even had slogans like “Do not curse, do not hit and do not work them (욕하지 말고, 때리지 말고. 부리지 말자)”.

As children are the future of a country, there was a push to focus on the importance of education and quality of life of children. At the time, most children only attended elementary school which was deemed inappropriate and insufficient as they would not be able to help in the development of the country later on as adults with such a low level of education.

Bang Jeong-hwan wrote a manifesto in 1923 that was titled “Declaration of Children’s Day (어린이 날 선어문)” to explain why a day dedicated to children was necessary and important and why parents needed to reflect on their importance. He proclaimed that “children are the future of our nation” and led the way for the creation of the holiday.

Interesting facts about Children’s Day in Korea

Children’s Day was initially in celebration of boys only and the day was actually called “Boy’s Day” all the way until 1975 when it was officially changed to “Children’s Day”.
Children’s Day was originally established on May 1 but that conflicted with Labor Day so it was changed.
When children are 13 or in 6th grade in Korea, it is considered their last Children’s Day to celebrate as once they are in middle school, they are considered teenagers and no longer children.
There is a Children’s Day song that you can sing or may hear on the holiday in Korea.

Korean Children’s Day song lyrics

Fly, birds, up into the blue sky
Run, stream, to the green field
May is green, and we are growing
Today is Children’s Day, when the world belongs to us

Workers of the country when we grow up
Let’s go forward hand in hand
May is green, and we are growing
Today is Children’s Day, when the world belongs to us

날아라 새들아 푸른 하늘을
달려라 냇물아 푸른 벌판을
오월은 푸르구나 우리들은 자란다
오늘은 어린이날 우리들 세상

우리가 자라면 나라의 일꾼
손잡고 나가자 서로 정답게
오월은 푸르구나 우리들은 자란다
오늘은 어린이날 우리들 세상

Is Children’s Day only in Korea?

No, Children’s Day is not only celebrated in Korea. Japan is the only other country that also celebrates Children’s Day on May 5, but there are many other countries around the world that also celebrate Children’s Day just on different days of the year. In the US, for example, Children’s Day is on the second Sunday of June, while in Brazil, Children’s Day is on October 12th.

Something unique about Korea’s Children’s Day though, is that it is a national holiday and celebrated around the country whereas in most countries it isn’t a day off from work. This makes it especially exciting for children and workers.

You’re ready to celebrate Children’s Day in Korea if you ask me! Enjoy the holiday this spring in Korea.

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What To Know About Children’s Day In Korea

When is Children’s Day in Korea?

How do you say “Children’s Day” in Korean?