Daeboreum

Moonrise and night fires

On the evening of Daeboreum, people in rural areas hike up hills in a ritual known as dalmaji. They brave the winter cold to catch the first glimpse of the rising moon, believing that the earliest observer receives good luck or a granted wish. On the eve of the festival, villagers take part in jwibulnori, setting fire to dried grass along the edges of rice paddies. Children swing perforated cans filled with glowing charcoal, sending sparks across the dark fields to fertilise the soil and destroy insect pests.

Folk rituals for health

Many festival customs focus on vitality and prosperity. At dawn, people crack hard nuts with their teeth, a practice called bureom that is said to keep teeth strong and prevent skin blemishes. Walking across twelve bridges through the night, known as daribalgi, is believed to strengthen the legs for each month ahead. Neighbours greet one another in the morning by trying to sell their summer heat before being greeted back. At the same time, women historically released river life for good fortune, while others gathered well water at first rooster crow.

Festive dishes and sharing

Eating together is central to the holiday. The morning begins with a chilled sip of Guibargi wine, taken in the hope of sharpening one's hearing and receiving only welcome news. Feasts feature ogokbap, a five-grain rice blend, alongside yakbap, a steamed glutinous rice prepared with chestnuts, jujubes, pine nuts, honey, and soy sauce. People also consume boreum namul, dishes of dried vegetables saved from the previous year, and leafy vegetable wraps called bokssam to invite blessing. Meals are prepared early and shared freely among neighbours, ensuring diligent work and communal strength for the year ahead.

Ancient roots and lore

Historical texts connect the festival to early kingdom rituals. According to the Samguk yusa, King Soji of Silla was guided by a crow that exposed a palace conspiracy. In gratitude, the fifteenth of the first lunar month was designated as Ogiil, a day when offerings were made to heaven and crows were honoured with rice. Lantern displays were also recorded during the Silla era and continued through the Joseon dynasty, anchoring the seasonal festivities in centuries of royal and village memory.

How Daeboreum is kept

Festivities begin on the eve with children whirling burning cans of charcoal across field borders while dry grass is burned. People draw water from wells at rooster crow and smear small amounts of earth on their walls. At dawn on Daeboreum, participants crack nuts with their teeth, drink cold wine, and light small straw fires in yards to repel insects. Later, neighbours exchange rice dishes, while local music troupes stage competitions. At dusk, crowds climb nearby peaks to welcome the moonrise before walking across bridges into the night.

When and where

Daeboreum falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the traditional lunar calendar. It aligns with the first appearance of a full moon in the new lunar year, usually occurring in late winter.

The observance is kept across South Korea and North Korea, in both farming communities and urban neighbourhoods, with outdoor fire rituals and moon-watching outings taking place on hillsides and open riverbanks.

What Daeboreum means

The customs of Daeboreum embody wishes for family health, communal harmony, and farming abundance. Clearing fields with fire cleanses the soil of pests, while eating dried greens and grains protects against future seasonal heat and hardship. Greeting the rising moon represents hope for renewal and good fortune across the twelve months ahead.

On the table

• Ogokbap
• Yakbap
• Guibargi wine
• Boreum namul
• Bokssam
• Bureom nuts

Days Daeboreum is marked

Daeboreum dates: 2026, 2027, 2028

Questions people ask about Daeboreum

See also

Double Ninth FestivalAn autumn festival of mountain walks, chrysanthemum wine and ancestor remembranceNaengmyeonLong buckwheat noodles in icy broth, born in North Korea and eaten most in summerGanggangsullaeA Korean harvest dance where women hold hands and sing in circles under the full moonLosarThe Tibetan Buddhist New Year festival of renewal, offerings, and family feasts

Good reading and sources

• Daeboreum on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.