Steve Pyun
UCID#: 302813707
1/29/03
Short Fieldwork Assignment

The following is a typed version of my notes from an interview with Lee Young Hun on January 26, 2003.

Background Information:
Lee Young Hun recently emigrated from Korea to the United States, a little less than two years ago. He was born in 1970, attended school in Korea through graduate school at the Korean University of Foreign Studies. While there he studied international trade. He currently works at a shipping company in Norwalk, California. He lives in Koreatown in Los Angeles, and is not married.

Description:
Young Hun described for me a solnal celebration he participated in with his family annually when he lived in Korea. On the morning of the lunar New Year, his family, including his first cousins and aunts and uncles on his father’s side, gathered at his father’s oldest brother’s home. He explained that all of the men performed ancestor memorial rites, or charye. Afterwards the children would bow to their parents and also aunts and uncles, wishing them a healthful and happy new year. The adults would in turn wish the children good fortunes in whatever endeavors they might be undertaking in the coming year. In Young Hun’s case, most recently his parents wished for him to find a suitable wife. Other examples he mentioned were doing well on college exams and finding a good job.

After this, Young Hun explained that everyone would eat rice-cake soup. He explained that it is said that you age one year after you eat a bowl of rice-cake soup, so it is very important that you do this on new years. Next the family traveled to the graves of their grandparents and great grandparents who had passed away. They brought food and alcohol to the sites and placed the items in front of the grave. He said some family members would then speak, believing that their deceased forebears could hear them. They related the recent events of the family members, particularly the younger generation.

The rest of the day was spent enjoying the company of family and also playing games. Although traditionally minsoknori, or folk games, such as yutnori, are played on solnal, Young Hun recalls that his family played card games such as hattu.

Since Young Hun is now residing in the United States, he has not participated in the solnal celebration for two years and may not again for many years to come. To the best of Young Hun’s knowledge, the solnal celebration occurs in much simpler and shorter form if at all in most Korean-American homes. He believed that most commonly practiced were the bowing to elders and the eating of rice-cake soup. For obvious practical reasons, Korean-Americans cannot make the trip to their ancestor’s grave sites every year. Also, since many Korean-Americans such as Young Hun are separated from most of their extended family, who remain in Korea, it is not possible to participate.
Young Hun also pointed out some changes in the celebration over the course of time. He explained that with factors such as increased traffic in Korea, it is not realistic to visit the gravesites of their grandparents and great-grandparents. Also, since an increasing number of Koreans practice Christianity rather than Buddhism, they do not participate in the charye aspect of the celebration.