Have you been to many graduation ceremonies?

Graduation is a bittersweet time that represents the close of one chapter and the start of a new one.

While we celebrate this milestone, we also can't help but feel a little sad, maybe even a little apprehensive about what's next.   

Since people around the world haven't been able to celebrate graduations due to COVID-19, we thought it would be fun to take a look at graduation traditions in Korea.

Past Graduation Traditions

First, let's look at traditions that were more common in the past but but have seen a dip in popularity more recently.

Throwing Flour And Tearing Uniforms

Source: Gyeongsang Ilbo

Students used to bring flour to graduation and throw it on each other after the official ceremony was over. 

Some would even use mayonnaise or eggs to make the flour stick better.

Because graduations in Korea take place in February, the flour almost looked like it could be snow.

Source: Jungbu Mail

Additionally, students would tear each other's uniforms.

On graduation day, it was common to see graduating students walking around in ripped uniforms. 

Source: Chungcheong Today

Both of these traditions were an expression of all the emotions that students bottled up while they were students.

They symbolized that the graduates had become adults, free to do what they want.

Source: Korea News Today

As time went on, however, some people started to take these traditions to the extreme.

Because of this, the police and Ministry of Education in Korea started cracking down on this behavior, so these are not seen or done anymore.

Eating Jjajangmyeon 

So, after the graduation ceremony and taking photos with family and friends, what do you do next?

Go out for delicious food of course!

The food that is commonly eaten to celebrate graduations is jjajangmyeon, or noodles with black bean sauce.

To this day, this dish is still very much associated with graduations.

When Jungkook of BTS graduated from high school, he and his fellow members went out for jjajangmyeon.

Nowadays, jjajangmyeon is considered to be a cheap meal in Korea.

But back in the day, it used to be an expensive dish, reserved only for special occasions.

This is why it became the food to eat at graduations, to celebrate a major accomplishment in life.

Current Graduation Traditions

New customs and traditions are emerging all the time.

Let's take a look at some of the current and popular trends in Korea when it comes to celebrating graduations.

Cosplay Graduation Photos

Students usually take graduation photos in June or July when the weather is nice.

Traditionally, students have always worn their uniforms and posed in a more formal and poised way for their pictures.

A few years ago, however, students from Uijeongbu High School, located north of Seoul, did something different, and a new trend was born.

Every year, these students take graduation photos dressed up as characters, celebrities, or even political figures.

The graduation photos have now become something netizens look forward to seeing every year.

Source: YouTube 유정 YUJEONG

This tradition has spread throughout the country and now students all over take photos in costume.

If you search the tag #졸업사진컨셉 (graduation photo concept) on Instagram, you'll find thousands of posts related to this.

Source: Our School Classe

These kinds of photos are popular because they allow students to show their individuality. 

I'm sure they will look back fondly at these photos for years to come!

Graduation Banners

Source: News1

Banners are commonly used at college graduations in Korea.

Since college is a major accomplishment, it makes sense to do something a little extra.

Source: Veritas Alpha

When graduation comes, classmates and friends will create banners for those who are graduating. 

These banners go beyond the standard, "Congrats," and instead, use pictures, quotes, and jokes to make them more personal.

Parodies of lines from popular dramas are common themes that are used when making these banners.

Human Wreaths

Source: YTN

In Korea, standing wreaths are sent as a congratulations for big events such as marriage or a store opening. 

Because these wreaths are difficult to transport, they are not ideal for graduation ceremonies.

Therefore, "human wreaths" have started to become popular.

To make a human wreath, you just need to pick a congratulatory phrase to be printed on a ribbon, and then anyone can become a human wreath!

These new traditions of celebrating this important milestone are a fun way to congratulate people in a more personal and memorable way.

Today, we looked at past and present graduation traditions in Korea.

Hopefully, this pandemic will end soon, so we can all enjoy celebrating graduations with our friends and families again.

If you have any fun or interesting graduation traditions where you're from, let us know in the comments below!