Lets Learn About Korean Wedding Traditions P'yeBaek

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Lets Learn About Korean Wedding
TraditionsP'yeBaek

• By Amy McCord
• EDU 314
• Appropriate for 5th-6th Grades.

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First we start with
a Match Maker to select the couple for marriage.

• Matchmakers are used for half of the weddings
  in Korea today.
• The matchmaker receives a fee.
• Families will come to a matchmaker and present
  their young person with their resumes, and ask
  them to find a mate that is compatible in social
  status and future earning potential.

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Sur Names

• There are only about 300 surnames.
• Women do not change their surnames after marriage
  like we do in America.
• Sur name is also another way of saying last name.

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The Brides Dress

• The bride wears a chogori (short jacket with long
  sleeves) with 2 long ribbons that are tied to
  make the otkorum.
• the traditional Korean costume, the Hanbok, has
  been worn by men, women and children.

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Wedding Symbols

• wedding ducks are a symbol for a long and happy
  marriage.

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Yin/Yang

• Marriage represents the union and balancing of
  the two primary elements of the world Eum, the
  dark, female element and Yang, the bright, male
  element ("yin" and "yang"). The marriage ceremony
  took place at dusk, representing a balance
  between light (day) and darkness (night) The
  color blue stands for Eum and red represents
  Yang.

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Religion

• Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the
  Constitution, just like in America, and many of
  the world's major religions are active in Korea.
  Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, and
  Shamanism are some of the major religions of
  Korea.

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Reception Rituals

• Korean people decorate with silk screens and with
  peonies (flowers) for good luck They also display
  ducks and geese to represent faithfulness. Guests
  give gifts of wooden ducks or geese. A harpist
  plays and family members serenade the newlyweds.
  Parents trade the couple's astrological
  information written in calligraphy on special
  rice paper. Guests toss chestnuts (symbolizing
  respect) and jujubes (dried red dates symbolizing
  diligence) at the newlyweds.
• KOREAN wedding banquets feature a simple noodle
  soup--the long noodles symbolizing a wish for a
  long and happy life.

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Wedding Gifts

• If you are bringing a gift to the wedding, do
  not expect that the gift will be opened in front
  of you. The Korean custom is to open gifts in
  private.

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Wedding Vows

• Vows from the groom to the bride
• Minister??(groom's name)?, ??(groom's name)??
  ??(bride's name)?? ??? ?? ???? ??? ???
  ??????.??(groom's name) ?? ????? ?????, ?????
  ???????, ? ??? ?? ???? ??(bride's name) ?? ??
  ????, ????, ?? ???? ???? ???????Groom?
• Vows from the bride to the groom
• Minister?? (bride's name)?, ?? (bride's name)??
  ??(groom's name)?? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???
  ??????.??(bride's name) ?? ????? ?????, ?????
  ???????, ? ??? ?? ???? ?? (groom's name) ?? ??
  ????, ????, ?? ???? ???? ???????Bride?

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Literal translation

• Vows from the groom to the bride
• MinisterMr. (groom's name). You are (groom's
  name) becoming the husband of (bride's name). Are
  you promising to love (bride's name) and respect
  her, take care of her, help her, in joyful times
  and in hard times, healthy times and sickness
  times, every day, for ever?GroomYes, I
  promise.Vows from the bride to the groom
• MinisterMiss. (bride's name). You are (bride's
  name) becoming the wife of (groom's name). Are
  you promising to love (groom's name) and respect
  him, take care of him, help him, in joyful times
  and in hard times, healthy times and sickness
  times, every day, for ever?BrideYes, I promise.

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A Few Differences in Korean and American Wedding
Traditions.

• Korean couples were chosen by parents.
• The brides gown is colorful.
• The groom's mother and father gather a handful of
  dates and chestnuts, (they symbolize their hopes
  for many grandchildren, )Then they toss the dates
  and chestnuts at the bride

• American couples choose their own mates.
• American brides gown is traditionally white.
• Americans traditionally throw rice at weddings.

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Activities

• Check out this educational website for fun games
  and learn a little about the Korean language.
• www.kaboose.com

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I Hope you have enjoyed your lesson on Korean
Wedding Traditions!
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References

• http//www.weddingsatwork.com/culture_customs_kore
  an.shtml. This site takes you through the
  traditions of the traditional Korean wedding.
• www.worldweddingtradtions.com (gives information
  on Korean symbols)
• www.kaboose.com (educational reading site for
  children and includes Korean language.)
• http//www.topics-mag.com/internatl/weddings/korea
  n_wedding.htm (explains the traditional attire
  worn at a Korean wedding along with pictures.

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Questions

• List at least two differences between Korean
  weddings and American weddings.
• What is a chogori?
• Describe the symbolism of the wooden duck.
• If you attended a Korean wedding, would you
  expect to see the gifts opened?
• Can you find any similarities in the two cultures
  wedding traditions? If so, what are they?