LESSON NOTES

Korean Culture Class #21

Our Son Will Be the Best Doctor in
Korea…Someday!

CONTENTS
2 Cultural Insight

# 21
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CULTURAL INSIGHT

백일 (baegil) – “100 Days”

백일 (baegil) literally means "one hundred days" in Korean, and when talking about babies, it
refers to the day that the baby is one hundred days old. The reason that this day is celebrated
goes back a long time in history. This tradition started when it was still not too rare for
newborn babies to die from diseases, infection, or malnutrition. The fact that the baby lived for
a hundred days was very meaningful and worth celebration. Until now, only the immediate
family, close relatives, and family members usually have dinner together to celebrate this day.

This period of one hundred days is important for the mother of the baby as well, since she is
still recovering from giving birth to the baby. With the development of medicine, there is less
necessity for people to be worried about the mother now, but people still consider it a very
important period. Companies usually give women a three-month paid vacation after they give
birth to their baby.

On this day, the family members prepare a feast, and the dishes that they serve on this day
are usually the same as on other traditional holidays. However, 백설기 (baekseolgi) is a
unique item they serve on this day. 백설기 (baekseolgi) is a type of rice cake that is white and
sweet, representing wishes for a long and healthy life.

돌 (dol) - "First Birthday"

돌 (dol) is the first birthday of a baby. However, in Korea the first birthday of a baby in the
Korean age system is the day that the baby is born. Therefore, to Korean people it's not the
first birthday but actually the second birthday, or the day that marks one year after the baby
was born.

The feast that they throw on this day is a little bigger in scale than 백일 (baegil). Since the
mother has fully recovered from the birth and the baby has grown a bit, family members do a
little ceremony.

Along with the dishes they prepare for the feast, people have the baby choose one out of
several items they arranged on a table. Traditionally, the items were a brush, an arrow, and a

KOREANCLASS101.COM KOREAN CULTURE CLASS #21 - OUR SON WILL BE THE BEST DOCTOR IN KOREA…SOMEDAY! 2
coin. If the baby chose the brush, it was said that the baby would become a person skilled in
literature or would serve for the government in administration. If the baby chose the arrow, it
was said that the baby would become a soldier or a military official. Finally, they expected the
baby who chose the coin to become a merchant and make a lot of money.

These days, the items that people put on the table for the baby to choose from have changed
quite a bit. Now the items vary from family to family, but the basic items are a pencil, money,
and a thread. However, some families put a computer mouse or even a microphone on the
table. When the baby chooses a computer mouse, the baby is said to become a computer
engineer and if the baby chooses a microphone, people say that the baby will grow up to
work in broadcasting. People do not take this seriously however, and it is all in good fun, but it
is a once-in-a-lifetime ceremony, so people make sure they do it for the baby.

KOREANCLASS101.COM KOREAN CULTURE CLASS #21 - OUR SON WILL BE THE BEST DOCTOR IN KOREA…SOMEDAY! 3