Halloween 👻 in Korea (Recipes, Kdramas and More!)
Is Halloween Celebrated in Korea?
Halloween is a popular holiday celebrated in many parts of the world, and October 31st is celebrated with a variety of different traditions and customs. Many fans of the popular Korean drama Itaewon Class saw Halloween being celebrated, so is this the case?
Kind of.
Halloween is definitely not a traditional Korean holiday, but the event is quickly gaining popularity in many parts of South Korea. Every year, the idea of celebrating Halloween seems to be gaining popularity, even if it has remained significantly different from traditional celebrations of the holiday.
There are some notable differences. You probably won’t see the same plastic skeletons and cloth-draped ghouls decorating people’s front porches. Trick or treating is not widespread outside of schools and college campuses, and holiday-specific haunted houses rarely make an appearance. However, in recent years, many amusement parks are starting to roll out Halloween-themed festivals and parades.
For the most part, the actual day is mostly celebrated by young adults, and marked by one main event...costume parties! On the night of October 31st, you can head out and expect to see people decked out in their cutest or scariest gear, heading to their nearest bar or a friend’s apartment for some spooky fun!
You can enjoy Halloween in a costume anywhere in the city, but for the flashiest night, expect either Itaewon or Hongdae to be the place. Especially Itaewon, the part of Seoul that’s known to be particularly foreigner-friendly, which likes to decorate its storefronts in anticipation of Halloween.
Once the big night comes, everyone who’s anyone will put on elaborate costumes of their liking and go roam around the streets of Itaewon. There may not always be an official costume contest held, but just parading around the streets filled with bars operates as a showcase for the dressers and general crowds in Itaewon. If you have seen the Korean drama Itaewon Class, you may already have an idea of what to expect, as it was shown quite accurately in this drama.
Is Halloween, Halloween without some party food?
With Halloween just around the corner, try some of these Korean-inspired Halloween dishes to take your ordinary celebration to another level. Perfect appetizers, desserts, and even drinks that are fun and scary… all while delicious, of course.
Halloween Kimbap
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How about this little mixture of kimbap and the fun of Halloween together? Try it with little monster faces. Easy and simple to make, yet very creative. All you need is roasted seaweed, eggs, rice and some ham.
Rice Ghosts - These little cute rice ghosts are a very simple recipe to make yet extremely cute. Season the rice with vinegar and sesame oil, and cut out cute face shapes with seaweed.
Sausage Octopus - Many of you may already know this simple, yet fun recipe. Try this one and serve it with ketchup to make it a bloody festival of sea aliens!
But how about some drinks!?
Blue cocktail - The Dark Sea
Ingredients:
Sugar rim: lime juice 라임쥬스 purple food colouring 보라색 색소 sugar 설탕
Drink: vodka 보드카 1.5oz blue curacao 블루 큐라소 1.5oz pineapple juice 파인애플 쥬스 3oz splash of grenadine 그레나딘
Steps:
- Splash some lime juice on a plate, and add purple food colouring.
- Dip the rim in the liquid and then dab it into a plate of sugar.
- Add ice to the glass.
- Mix vodka, blue curacao, pineapple juice and grenadine into a shaker. Shake well.
- Pour the drink into the glass and add a splash of grenadine on the top.
Black cocktail - The Depths of The Red Sea
Ingredients
Steps:
Gather the ingredients
Pour the cranberry juice into a highball glass filled with ice.
Float the vodka on top by pouring it over the back of a bar spoon to disrupt the flow. Or you can slowly drizzle the vodka onto the cranberry juice for a swirling effect.
DID YOU MAKE IT?!
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