The Interview

Takahashi: When do you celebrate New Year?
Lee: Korean New year? January First? We have two of them. One is on January First, and the other one is on February, I don't' know exactly when in this year. (It's according to) Chinese calendar.
T: I think it's on Feb. 2 this year.
T: How do you celebrate?
L: We usually do visit my father side. My father has three brothers. He is in middle. We go to my father's old brother's home. It's family gathering. In the morning, we go there, and we have oldest person, and greet them. After that, we bow to the ancestor in front of table. There are fruit, food, soup etc. on the tale.
T: Is there only vegetables on the table? Is it vegetarian celebration, like one in Vietnam?
L: All kind of Food. Beef, vegetable...
L: After that, we sit all together with uncles, and we bow. Do you know what do I mean by bow? Like to the oldest to younger one.
T: What is the biggest difference from Chinese New Year?
L: I don't know how the Chinese New Year like..
T: What do you like the best about New Year celebration?
L: We can see all of relatives, cousins. It's few chance for us to see each other.
T: What would be the difference between Jan. 1 celebration and Lunar New year celebration?
L: the Lunar one is bigger. Sometimes it's same.
T: In the U.S., how do you celebrate? Is it different?
L: My father side relatives are all in Korea, and my mother side relatives are here in the U.S. So, we go to my mother's older brother's home.
T: So you just visit your father side?
L: Yes. We also go to my mother's father. He passed away, and we visited the cemetery near Rose Hill around New year days, like a day before.
T: Is there any difference of what you eat in the U.S. and in Korea?
L: Actually, here I can say that it's Americanized. Because my aunt is really busy, so she buys food from market. She cooks but not much. In Korea, we cook everything, so women are really busy at that time.
T: So women usually prepare food?
L: Yea. In Korea, usually. But, in here, she buys mostly. My cousin here was born here, so they don't understand the culture, so they don't bow. I don't bow here, either, but in Korea.
T: You can get money, right? Do you still get money even though you don't bow?
L: In here, I don't get money, because I don't bow. How do you know?
T: In the class, we just talked about it.
L: Japan, too? Do you bow to get money?
T: We don't, but I just need to visit relatives, and can get money.
T: What do/don't you do in the U.S.? More fun in Korea?
L: Actually, I collect more money than in the U.S. In the U.S., we focus on family unity. In Korea, we do focus on family unity, but we are busy visiting many relatives. In Korea, in the morning, we visit father's side, and then mother's side. In here, we just visit the uncle's place. It's a big difference.
T: Is it more fun in Korea?
L: yea, lot of entertainment.
T: How long the celebration would last?
L: 3 days.
T: In the U.S.?
L: They don't. It's not holiday. Instead, we celebrate on the weekend, it's more flexible.
T: So what are you going to do this year?
L: I will visit my uncle's family. Gathering, talking.
T: What kind of food do you expect it should be there?
L: Usually, my aunt buys Korean Traditional snacks, and fruits. Special food like Korean traditional food. Main dish should be soup and pieces of rice cake soup.
T: Do you hang out with your friends?
L: I want to, but I can't. All day long, I have to stay in my aunt's house. I think most of people stay with their family.
T: Do you have any thing religious in the celebration?
L: I have already told you that we visit my mom's father at the cemetery. My aunt is a Christian, so she prays.
T: Do you decorate?
L: We don't.
T: Why do you do all this?
L: It's tradition. Family unity. It's the chance to meet relatives, and New year is the time.