삼일절 (Samiljeol)

Samiljeol, observed on March 1, is a national holiday in South Korea that remembers the March 1 Independence Movement of 1919. On that day, Korean activists proclaimed independence, and peaceful demonstrations spread across the country under Japanese colonial rule. The holiday is public and commemorative rather than festive: government buildings, schools, apartment complexes, and many homes display the Taegeukgi, and television carries official ceremonies and documentaries about independence activists. Children learn about figures such as Yu Gwan-sun, and newspapers and broadcasters revisit the Declaration of Independence. Because March 1 marks a protest movement, the tone is patriotic and reflective, with history lectures, memorial events, and speeches instead of games or market-style celebration.

A typical Samiljeol includes official commemorations at major historical sites, especially places linked to 1919 such as Tapgol Park and Seodaemun Prison History Hall in Seoul, or Independence Hall of Korea in Cheonan. At ceremonies, officials and visitors stand for the national anthem, hear excerpts from the Declaration read aloud, observe a moment of remembrance, and join the chant “대한독립 만세!” three times. Streets often show rows of small paper or cloth flags, and some local governments stage reenactments of the original marches. Families may visit museums or memorial parks during the day; unlike Seollal or Chuseok, Samiljeol is not associated with a standard holiday meal or ancestral table.

The pack has 36 words spread across these domains.