YU Hosts Traditional Coming-of-Age Ceremony for International Students

Providing an opportunity to understand Korean culture by experiencing traditional Korean rituals at Folk Village

[May 15, 2025]

 Yeungnam University (President CHOI Oe-chool) held a traditional coming-of-age ceremony on the morning of May 14 at Gugye Confucian Academy in the YU Folk Village. In celebration of the 53rd Coming-of-Age Day (observed annually on the third Monday of May), the event welcomed international students from various countries including Japan, Uzbekistan, the Netherlands, China, and Myanmar, alongside Korean students. Participants experienced the traditional Korean coming-of-age rituals—Gwanrye (for men) and Gyerye (for women). Since 2014, YU has hosted this annual event to mark Coming-of-Age Day, with over 60 international students having participated in the ceremony to date. 

 During the ceremony, male students dressed in traditional dopo robes, tied their hair into topknots, and donned gat (traditional Korean hats), reenacting the Gwanrye ritual. Female students wore dangui (ceremonial hanbok), unbraided their hair to form a chignon, and inserted a hairpin, recreating the Gyerye ritual. All participants respectfully engaged in the ceremony dressed in full traditional attire, deepening their understanding of Korean culture while enjoying the experience.

Gwanrye is a traditional Korean ceremony that marks the coming of age for young men aged 15 to 20, symbolized by tying the topknot and wearing a gat. Gyerye, for young women, involves tying up the hair in a bun and inserting a hairpin, symbolizing the transition into adulthood.

Jang Igor, a senior majoring in Business Administration from Uzbekistan who participated in the event, shared his thoughts: “It was a very interesting and memorable experience to take part in Korea’s traditional coming-of-age ceremony. I hope to continue learning about Korean culture and creating many more memories.”

LEE Eun-jung, Director of the YU Museum and organizer of the event, said, “This was a meaningful occasion for international students to reflect on the significance and responsibility of adulthood while directly experiencing Korean traditional culture. I hope this event becomes a special memory in their life abroad.”