Rice Cake Soup is called Ddeuk-Gouk (떡국). So, this is the traditional meal!
In my childhood house, we took the shoes off before entering the house, which means it was sitting-based cultures. Each room and living room should be clean in order to walk around without shoes.
On New Year’s Day, we ate rice cake soup together and after the meal, our elders were sitting at the heated floor. We as children were told to stand up and asked to perform bowing down to the ground toward our elders. In my case, I had to perform bowing down to the ground toward my grandma and my parents.
We said, “새해 복 많이 받으세요(Saehae Bock Mani Ba Deu Eei Yo!), meaning wishing YOU good blessing (fortune) in the new year.
In return, our elders gave us steamed chestnut and dried dates as snack (hmmm...those were my favorite) and usually some cold cash-money. This cold cash-money was meant to use later, and we were asked to save them. I was told to do the same bowing to my extended family and elder neighbors…and our teachers.
So, it was my day….more bowing down the more snacks and money I got…hohoho. I was very busy bowing down on New Year’s day!
Between friends, we bow each other to have blessing exchange, which was the exprssion of respect …in this case, we need to be careful not to bump our head each other.
Today, I do bowing down to the ground toward YOU with my respect.
Thank you!
I made Brown Rice Cake Soup.
