Greetings to the Hive community and the members and writers of the Korean Village Community. It's a pleasure to be here to participate in this contest that invites us to explore Korean culture and its similarities with countries around the world. #  # My country of origin is Venezuela, a very diverse country where we celebrate different holidays throughout the year. We have celebrations of all kinds: historical, religious, environmental, regional, and we also celebrate holidays that are highlighted worldwide. # If we talk about holidays between Korean and Venezuelan cultures, I can say that there are many that are related, although they may vary in some characteristics. Many of our holidays, rather than differences, have many similarities. # I've done some research on the holidays in Venezuela and Korea that might have some similarities, and I've found several worth mentioning. Despite being different countries with somewhat diverse cultures, we do have some similarities. # I present my research project, in which I used the online information I could find and used it as a tool to elaborate on some of the holidays between the two countries and their similarities. # Here, I've created a comparison chart similar to the ones I assign to my high school students when I assign them points to research in their respective subjects. # From a cultural perspective, despite belonging to different countries and cultures, I was able to find the following similar holidays in both countries: # ### Korean Holidays: [inf](https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiestas_nacionales_en_Corea_del_Sur) #  [lantern](https://pixabay.com/es/photos/lantern-festival-lamp-decorate-6894507/) **January 1st:** New Year's Day. **March 1:** Independence Day (Samiljeol), commemorates the 1919 declaration of independence. **August 15:** Liberation Day (Gwangbokjeol), commemorates the liberation from Japanese rule in 1945. **December 25: Christmas Day**, a national holiday in Korea. **Buddha's Birth Day** (Chopail): Celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month.  [Buddha](https://pixabay.com/es/photos/great-buda-korea-del-sur-2684123/) ### Festivities Venezuela:[inf](https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anexo:Efem%C3%A9rides_en_Venezuela) #  [Christmas](https://pixabay.com/es/photos/navidad-adviento-natividad-de-jesus-6779497/) # **January 1:** New Year's Day **April 19:** First pre-independence movement. Dismissal of Vicente Emparan, April 19, 1810 **July 5:** Declaration of Independence **July 24:** Birth of the Liberator Simón Bolívar. #  [Simón Bolívar.The Liberator](https://pixabay.com/es/photos/venezuela-estatua-plaza-escultura-142594/) # Although the holidays of Korea and Venezuela commemorate different events and figures from their respective histories, they share the fundamental similarity of using holidays to strengthen national identity, honor the past, and promote unity. Both cultures value celebrations that commemorate their independence and sovereignty, as well as festivities that foster family and social unity. |**Holiday**| **Korean Holidays**|**Venezuelan Holidays**|**Similarities**| |-|-|-|-| |*New Year*|January 1 (New Year): A national holiday that marks the beginning of the solar year. It is celebrated with family reunions, temple visits, and rituals to attract good luck.|January 1 (New Year): A national holiday that commemorates the beginning of the year. It is celebrated with family reunions, parties, and fireworks.| Both nations celebrate January 1 as a national holiday to mark the beginning of the solar year. The celebration focuses on family and the hope of a new beginning. In both countries, it is an occasion to reunite with loved ones and share special meals.| |*Independence/Liberation Days*|March 1 (Independence Movement Day): Commemorates the beginning of the 1919 Independence Movement against Japanese occupation. August 15 (Liberation Day): Commemorates Korea's liberation from Japanese rule in 1945. | April 19 (First Pre-Independence Movement): Commemorates the ouster of Vicente Emparan in 1810, a key step toward independence. July 5 (Declaration of Independence): Commemorates the signing of the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence in 1811. | Both nations have holidays dedicated to commemorating crucial events in their history of struggle for independence and sovereignty. These holidays reflect the importance of remembering the efforts of their ancestors to free themselves from foreign rule. Parades, ceremonies, and civic events are held to honor national heroes. |*Religious/Historical*|Buddha's Birth Day (Chopail): Celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month. It is a Buddhist religious holiday commemorated with lantern festivals and temple ceremonies. | July 24 (Birthday of Liberator Simón Bolívar): Commemorates the birth of the leader of the independence of much of South America. Civic and military events are held. | Both countries have holidays that honor figures or events of great cultural and/or religious significance. Although Buddha's Day is a religious holiday and Bolívar's Birthday is a historical event, both are nationally recognized for their profound cultural and symbolic significance. Special ceremonies and activities are organized to commemorate them.| |*Other National Holidays*| December 25 (Christmas): This is a national holiday in Korea. The streets of major cities like Seoul are decorated with lights, decorations, and Christmas trees. Shopping malls, stores, and amusement parks display wreaths, garlands, and Santa Claus figures. This means most offices and schools are closed. |Christmas is one of the most important times to enhance family values. Gatherings are held where traditional dishes are shared and gifts are exchanged. Venezuelan Christmas traditions also have a strong Western influence, especially from European Christian traditions (the figure of Santa Claus, the Christmas tree, etc.). It is a central Christmas custom, especially for children, who receive gifts.| Both countries recognize December 25th as a national holiday, allowing the population a day off to celebrate and participate in festive activities. Both nations are experiencing a festive transformation in their public and commercial spaces. The use of lights, Christmas trees, and other Western decorations is a key similarity that creates a celebratory atmosphere. # I hope my post can contribute to a better understanding of some of the festivities that, although different from a social perspective, have some similarities, and perhaps we will discover that as a nation we have much in common. # Thanks, guys, for reading and participating in this little bit of research I've done to participate in this wonderful contest where we put your ingenuity and creativity to the test. See you in a future post. # I'm sponsoring @sacra97 @mariiale1979 @katriel1 # >I used Google Translate Images taken from Pixabay Thumbnail made in [befunky](https://www.befunky.com/es/crear/collage/) I took some references for the documentation from [wikipedia](https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Portada)