Parents' Day (어버이 날)

This is a backdated post on May 8th, when I helped Min Young and her family selling carnations on Parents' Day.

In the Republic of Korea, Parents' Day (어버이 날) is celebrated on May 8.

Devotion to parents and ancestors was always considered the highest of all virtues in traditional Korean society. Hence it is quite understandable how important an occasion is Parent's Day in Korea, both for kids as well as grown ups. Here the occasion is dedicated not only to parents but also parental figures like parents-in-law and grandparents and even elderly people. While adults hand over greetings and gifts (electronic items, medicine therapy and even beauty treatment packages) to their parents, children usually honor their parents and grandparents with red carnations and the singing of songs themed to Parent's Day.(Source: Wikipedia)

Min Young and I took a few days off from Santisuk and went straight to Incheon to help her mother preparing bucket loads of flowers to sell on Parents' Day. It was quite a new experience for me cause I never really favour flowers and I'm not a creative junkie in terms of craft or even decorations lalala..

From left: Min Young, Min Young's mother and Mara.
I told Min Young not to call her dog as Mara cause in 
Malay Language, it means angry. No wonder her dog
was always angry at me! ^_^

This flower shop is Min Young mother's.
She decided to open one because she
loves plants and flowers and she is extremely
creative.

The flower basket was 5,000 won each. My first time
doing it and I thought I was quite talented, wasn't I?
Hehehe...nah..I just stuffed everything into that tiny
basket. No effort wasted there.

 
The tools and flowers needed for the flower basket.
Why carnation? Beats me. I asked a few other Koreans
why they gave carnation to parents but they couldn't
give me a satisfying answer. 
Hmm..any clue anyone?


Min Young; holding sikhye - my favourite
drink. You could drink this in jjimjilbang too.



Korean rice cake for my lunch. This was 2,000 won.
We bought a few types and this one has some squash
(orange colour) mixed.

Some kimbap and naengmyeon for lunch.


 

 I took this picture in front of Min Young's house 
while catching a taxi to go the flower shop.

 Min Young, her friend and I sold the flowers in front of

A couple wearing couple shoes. Same color and same
brand. So cheesy..it's a big phenomenon in Korea to
wear the same outfit while you go out with your other
half. Those who are singles will feel left out..hmm.

Some mid or high schoolers. They were still wearing the
long sleeve + coat uniform because it was still cold. It was
already May but I was shivering to my bone. So cold!!
Thanks to the crazy wind blowing our make-shift tent.

After the Nami Island incident, I had taken an oath not
to eat THAT corn again but I broke my words. For the 
second time, I could munch the tasteless corn yet again. 
Why I never learn from history?

The corn up-close. All because of that old grandmother.
I pitied her and broke my oath. In return I got a mediocre
corn.

See that man wearing an advertisement with number 2 
on? It was for election and he supposedly rooting for
that guy in the ads.

Our beautiful carnation. We started selling from 
noon until 10 at night. The sale was not so smooth
in the day but when night came, it was pretty brisk
because everybody was rushing to get a gift for
their parents for the next day. 

Min Young's best friend. He's 40 but doesn't look like
one at all!! Thanks to Korean diet and lifestyle. Such
a funny guy and eventhough he couldn't speak English
but we could interact. One of the funniest sentences he
loved to imitate was "Ok buddy!" It was from the 
gag show

 Courtesy of Min Young's best friend: Potato Pizza.
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