In Korea, the marriage between a man and woman represents the joining of two families,
rather than the joining of two individuals. As such, the event was often called
Taerye (Great Ritual), and people from all
over participated. Steeped in traditional Confucian values, the ceremonies and events
surrounding the actual marriage were long and elaborate, from the pairing of the couple
to the rituals performed after the ceremony.
Professional matchmakers paired up likely candidates for marriage, with the new couple
often meeting for the first time at their wedding! The families considered many factors
in the decision, consuting with fortune tellers for predictions about the couple's future
life together. During the Chosun period, people married in their early teens, with the
girl often being several years older than the boy.
The groom usually traveled to the house of the bride for the ceremony, then stayed there
for 3 days before taking his new bride to his family's home. The actual ceremony involved
many small rituals, with many bows and symbolic gestures. The participants were expected
to control their emotions and remain somber.
Although Koreans have kept several aspects of the traditional ceremony, most modern
ceremonies resemble Western marriage ceremonies more than traditional Korean ones. However,
many folk villages and museums across the country regularly perform ceremonies to keep
the traditions alive.
In these sections, click on the smaller pictures
to see the larger version.
You can find additional pictures in the
Scenes of Korea section.
For more information about Korean Traditional Marriage,
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