NadeDongji: Red-Bean Porridge on the Longest Night동지 — 팥죽 먹는 작은설
On the year's longest night, Koreans eat a crimson porridge to chase away bad spirits — and call it the 'small New Year.'
Around December 21 or 22 each year, Korea marks Dongji, the winter solstice — the shortest day and longest night. The custom of the day is patjuk: a deep-red porridge of boiled red beans dotted with chewy rice-flour balls called saealsim, whose name means 'little bird eggs.'
Why red beans? In old Korean belief, the color red had the power to drive away evil spirits, and the longest night was when those spirits felt closest. Families once sprinkled patjuk around the house and offered bowls to household deities in a rite called dongji gosa. Because the solstice is the moment daylight starts returning, Dongji was also called the 'small New Year' (jageun seol) — there was even a saying that you only grew a year older after eating your solstice bowl of patjuk.
The tradition is very much alive. Buddhist temples hold Dongji ceremonies and ladle out free patjuk to visitors — Jogyesa in central Seoul distributes thousands of servings — porridge restaurants see their busiest day of the year, and even convenience stores stock patjuk cups. If you are in Korea in late December, join the line: one warm red bowl, one symbolic fresh start.
매년 12월 21~22일 무렵은 동지, 일 년 중 낮이 가장 짧고 밤이 가장 긴 날이다. 이날의 풍습은 단연 팥죽. 푹 삶은 팥에 '새알심'이라 부르는 찹쌀 옹심이를 띄운 붉은 죽이다.
왜 하필 팥일까. 옛사람들은 붉은색에 잡귀를 쫓는 힘이 있다고 믿었고, 밤이 가장 긴 날은 나쁜 기운이 가장 가까이 오는 날이었다. 그래서 집 안 곳곳에 팥죽을 뿌리고, 가신에게 팥죽을 올리는 '동지고사'를 지냈다. 동시에 동지는 이날을 기점으로 해가 다시 길어지는 전환점이라 '작은설'로 불렸다. 동지 팥죽을 먹어야 비로소 나이 한 살을 더 먹는다는 말도 여기서 나왔다.
이 풍습은 지금도 살아 있다. 서울 조계사 같은 사찰은 동지 법회를 열고 수천 그릇의 팥죽을 나누며, 죽 전문점은 일 년 중 가장 붐비고, 편의점에도 팥죽 컵이 깔린다. 12월 말 한국에 있다면 줄을 서 보자. 따뜻한 붉은 죽 한 그릇이 곧 한 해의 새 출발이다.
If you go가신다면
Getting there.가는 법. Jogyesa Temple: Subway Line 3 to Anguk Station, Exit 6, about a 5-minute walk. The National Folk Museum and Insadong are within walking distance in the same Jongno area (Line 3, Anguk or Gyeongbokgung Station).
Tips.팁. Temple patjuk sharing happens on the solstice day itself and lines form early — arrive in the morning. Inside temple grounds, keep your voice low and ask before photographing worshippers. Free patjuk is a gift of goodwill; a small donation box is usually nearby if you want to give back.
Best time.가기 좋은 때. December 21–22 (winter solstice day)
Places in this story이야기 속 장소
- Jogyesa Temple (Jongno, Seoul)
- National Folk Museum of Korea (Gyeongbokgung grounds, Seoul)
- Insadong traditional porridge and tea houses (Seoul)
Sources (5)출처 (5)
- Dongji (winter solstice) falls around December 21–22 and is the shortest day / longest night of the year in Korea. — Korea.net (https://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Culture/view?articleId=166489)
- Dongji is nicknamed the 'small New Year' (작은설), with a traditional saying that one grows a year older only after eating patjuk on this day. — Korea.net (official website of the Republic of Korea)
- Patjuk's red color was believed to ward off evil spirits; families sprinkled it around the house and performed the dongji gosa offering rite. — Korea.net (https://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Culture/view?articleId=166489)
- Patjuk is made of red beans with glutinous rice balls called saealsim (새알심). — Korea.net / Michelin Guide Korea (https://guide.michelin.com/kr/en/article/dining-in/동지-팥죽-레시피)
- Jogyesa Temple in Seoul holds an annual Dongji ceremony and distributes thousands of servings of patjuk to visitors and the local community. — Korean media coverage of Jogyesa's annual Dongji patjuk sharing (Yonhap News / 불교신문 등)
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직접 가서 보세요
나들이는 이 이야기 속 장소들을 지도에 담았습니다. 진짜 가는 법, 현지 맥락, 그리고 당신의 언어로 돌아오는 답변까지.