Easter in South Korea

This weekend was Easter weekend and our first Easter in South Korea. We moved to Seoul about 11 weeks ago, and while I didn’t know exactly what to expect, I thought we’d somehow feel Easter coming. Maybe through decorations in shop windows, a school event, or even a bank holiday but instead, it passed by quietly. Just another normal working week.

No Good Friday. No Easter Monday. No Easter eggs in the shops. And somehow, that absence was more noticeable than I thought it would be.

Growing up in the Czech Republic, Easter was a vibrant and playful tradition. Even though I’m not religious, Easter was something we celebrated for the social connection - for the joy, the rhythm of the season, the sense of community.

In the Czech Republic, Easter Monday is the official bank holiday and it comes with some unique customs: Boys and men go from house to house with decorated willow branches and lightly whip girls while reciting a traditional rhyme:

Hody, hody, doprovody,Dejte vejce malovaný...

(“Easter, Easter carolers, Give us eggs painted...”)

In return, the girls give them hand-painted Easter eggs, some cooked, some hollowed-out and beautifully decorated. It’s said the light whipping symbolizes health and youth for the girls in the coming year. As odd as it may sound to outsiders, it’s a tradition deeply embedded in Czech springtime culture full of colour, laughter, and folklore. Even here in Korea, my husband kept the tradition alive to bring good health and youth upon us for the year ahead.

In England, where we lived before Korea, Easter had a different feel again. There, both Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays. Easter Sunday usually brings the joy of egg hunts in the garden or local parks , a tradition we’ve come to love with our children. And Easter Monday? Often reserved for family time or tackling a bit of DIY.

But here in South Korea, the Easter weekend arrived and left like any other. School on Friday. Work on Monday. No long weekend. No sign of chocolate eggs or pastel-coloured baskets.

The only hint of Easter was a birthday party hosted by a lovely Korean-Australian family from school with an Easter egg hunt. We couldn’t make it, as we had already planned a weekend trip to Busan, a beautiful coastal city on the southern tip of Korea. But we brought our own Easter eggs from England, something my husband wisely prepared for in advance and we had a small egg hunt on the beach, and another in our hotel apartment.

We also painted eggs with our girls on Easter Monday even though it wasn’t a holiday here, we made space for it. It wasn’t a grand affair. But it was ours, a little pocket of tradition we carried across borders.

It made me realise just how much effort it takes to keep cultural traditions alive when you’re far from home, especially when few people around you are celebrating them.

But at the same time, it’s also a beautiful reminder: We’re not just holding on to where we came from. We’re opening ourselves up to where we are now. And the now is what we have to embrace.

South Korea may not celebrate Easter in the way many Christian cultures do, but soon there will be a public holiday here that I’m genuinely excited about: Buddha’s Birthday on 5th May. It’s a major celebration in Korea, with lantern festivals, colourful temple decorations, and a deep sense of respect. I can’t wait to learn more, to see it, to get influenced by it as Buddhism is something I want to explore here.

And it got me wondering. Why is Buddha’s Birthday a national holiday, while Easter isn’t? Especially in a country where Christianity plays such a visible role.

South Korea's religious landscape is fascinating. While Christianity is the largest organized religion here, with Protestants and Catholics making up just over a quarter of the population, more than half of Koreans identify as non-religious. Buddhism, though smaller in numbers today, is deeply rooted in the country’s history and culture. It has been influenced by Confucianism for centuries - a philosophy that originated in ancient China over 2,500 years ago. In Korea, Confucianism became deeply institutionalized during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897), when it was promoted as the state ideology. It shaped everything from politics and education to family structure and everyday etiquette. And its influence still runs deep in Korean values today. Confucianism emphasizes principles such as filial piety, respect for elders, social harmony, education, and the importance of family and community. These values became closely tied with Buddhist practices, making them an integral part of Korean cultural identity.

Christianity, on the other hand, only became a significant presence in Korea during the 20th century. This historical context is likely why Buddha’s Birthday is celebrated as a national holiday, with lantern festivals and temple events across the country, while Christian holidays like Easter and Christmas are largely celebrated within church communities rather than publicly. It’s a reflection of how tradition and heritage often shape public life, regardless of the current religious demographics.

Living abroad is about balance and keeping your own traditions alive, not perfectly, but with heart. And at the same time, embracing new ones with curiosity and respect.

This Easter reminded me: Home is not a place. It’s a feeling carried in colourful eggs, silly rhymes, and tiny traditions tucked into suitcases. And if we make the effort, those traditions can stay with us. Even far away from home.