White Day and Black Day

by Orchid | Friday, March 14, 2008

I just found out an interesting Korean culture. One month after Valentine’s Day i.e. on March 14, they celebrate White Day (화이트데이).

In Korea, Valentine’s Day is a day for females to present chocolate gifts usually to a member of the male gender as an expression of love. On White Day, the men who received the chocolate on Valentine’s Day are expected to return the favour by giving gifts, usually more expensive to the women.

Black Day (솔로부대) is celebrated one month after White Day which is April 14. On this day, single people go out together and eat noodles with black bean sauce called Jjajangmyeon (짜장면).

Well, if a lady did not give you chocolates on Valentine’s Day and you have no sweetheart to give expensive gifts to on White Day…then go eat black black noodles on April 14! Over here in Malaysia you can eat “Hokkien mee” instead of Jjajangmyeon.

Now, have you heard of White Day and Black Day? I have not heard of this before one of our readers Clammy mentioned it, and our Korean language teacher further elaborated on this.

White Day is also celebrated in Japan and Taiwan. It actually originated in Japan.

Today is White Day! Did you get any chocolates or gifts?

Reference: Wikipedia
Artwork credit: Rooster

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Chelsea

i’m going to spend black day like i spent valentine’s day and how i’m gonna spend white day.

single and wearing black. `;P
Lindsay

Actually, the 14th of EVERY month is a special day in Korea! The big ones are Valentine’s Day, White Day, and Black Day; but there’s also Kiss Day (June 14), Rose Day (May 14), Green Day (September 14), and more. Of course, we can’t forget Pepero Day (11/11), which isn’t on the 14th…. Most of these holidays are only celebrated by couples and elementary students, though. (Korea loves couples!)

Here’s some information about the different holidays on the 14th of each month:
http://english.tour2korea.com/03Sightseeing/TravelSpot/travelspot_read.asp?oid=3466&kosm=

(Sorry about the deleted comment above; I wanted to add the link but didn’t want to post twice. Guess I posted twice, anyway…. ^^;; )
Orchid

@Lindsay, no worries about the extra comment. Thanks for the interesting link! Wow! I didn’t know every 14th of the month is celebrated in Korea.

Folks, you need to copy the URL right up to the end of Lindsay’s post up there to get to the right page. If not, just click on the link below.
Fun & Romantic Holidays in Korea
ksw

It sounds like Koreans are a romantic bunch.
lemonade lagoon

Having a (part)Korean for a best friend is fun. She informs us on all things Kor including their cute (but weird) holidays.

Our fave holiday is Pepero day (November 11) –11/11 like Pepero sticks! It’s not a real holiday but we like it. It gives us an excuse to pig out on Pepero.
Belle

i will be celebrating Black Day. my friend who are all out of town for college are coming back home that weekend so we can eat Jjajjangmyun. hehe. ^^

wow. i didnot there’s so much more holidays. i only new black and white day. hehe. thanks for the info!
Liz

Thanks for the link Lindsay. Kiss Day and Hug Day are interesting
Rooster

Hey Orchid, you know, I think you Liz and I are the only people in M’sia who call Hokkien mee “black black mee”.

I’ve said, “hey, let’s have black black mee” among different friends and ALL of them snorted a laugh at me.
Liz

Yes, I agree with you on that Rooster.

One friend even firmly CORRECTED me going, “It’s Fukkien chow-lar” or something like that.

He wasn’t impressed at my “black black mee” and went all scholarly on me.
Rooster

Haha, but I still say black black mee when I’m not paying attention. I just get weird stares.

And for all our foreign friends – Fukkien is a cantonese pronunciation of Fujian. So really, Fukkien chow mein really is Fujian fried noodles, or black black mee!

Ya, just thought I’d clear that up cuz Fukkien looks… well, I have a dirty mind.
Gail T.

don’t worry rooster, i don’t think you have a dirty mind. ;D

i think i’m going to celebrate black day. i had bought instant jjajangmyeon (or at least i thought it was). i’m going to save it for apr14.

i have to get some white choco for my friend. it’s her bday on white day. yay.
sezling

wow this is so cool! i should get my friends to start celebrating these with me (starting with black day which is tmrw – altho i already had jajjangmyeon on wednesday..) btw vanilla peppero is THEEEE bessst <3
sezling

aaii >< black day next month i meant haha~ yayy a whole month to prepare for the sudden onslaught of carbs!
Chianz

^^ ii wonder why M’sia don have white valentine or black valentine!
But I prefer mot to recif chocolate coz if a guy like that girl that pwizz don send ur lover chocolate pwizz!!! I mean,chocolate do makes a girl become more fat n chubby people…
Though all couple would like to have a sweet Valentine! :’P
Anonymous

Nobody brought me nothin!!!
~A
kpop-rubba

I love the idea of black day… I was black everyday anyway! I’d love to get ahold of some of these noodles!!!
ladida

just as long as i get to eat some too, i don’t mind handing out a box of fancy choc to him ;P Yup. I’m a chocoholic!
noV

yup, i’ve heard about white day & black day…
sLaVe

LOL! You guys are so cute! I love the Black Day banner!
Anonymous

I just love love the banners. You ladies are so freakin cute.
meiruo_chan

‘m going to learn how to make jajjangmyun for my Black Day on 14th April. Huhuhu….
who?

hahaha i know about white day thru the japanese, but i didnt know about black day! hahaha that’s fun! korea n their melodrama hahaha

lol…black day indeed..
kimmy

oh we can also eat esquire kitchen’s jar jiang mian…to subtitute it…i’m aiming to eat it on that day…hehe…
Clammy

Meiru_chan CHA-CHARONI!!! (it’s a pre-packaged jjajjangmyun like ramen! obviously not nearly as good though…)
MimieJay

i thought only Japanese celebrates white day! i didn’t know Koreans do!

but not sure lah if Japan have black day.. i know Japanese have white day because i read cardcaptor sakura manga..^_^

to rooster,liz and orchid.. i do call that mee..black black mee too!
Liz

Yay Mimiejay *high five*!
Anonymous

anyone going to eat black black mee tomorow?LOL

i’m going to eat black black mee!

Happy(or should i say SAD?) Black Day!

Single awareness day!

MimieJay

K-popped! Passionate about Korean pop culture

White Day and Black Day

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