May 5th is 어린이날 or Children’s Day in South Korea. This is a day where children get gifts, go on outings, and take pictures. On this day amusement parks, zoos, and museums are packed with parents and their eager children. Some establishments offer discounts and special exhibits to lure families, so it’s a very lucrative day for businesses. Restaurants, beaches, water parks are packed with parents who want to spend quality time with their children before they grow up.

Children’s Day is a great break for kids in South Korea. There are so many pressures and demands placed on Korean kids today, to succeed in their studies. This is a day where Korean kids can relax a little. This is also a time where parents shower their affection for their children. Not always, but there can be a tendency for Korean parents to be strict on their children. In Korea, it’s believed that being strict is a sign of love. Although this view is changing, some parents try not to show outward and obvious affection to their child, for fear that the child will become unruly.

It may seem that the parent-child relationship in Korea is stiff and cold, but you might be surprised to know that parents and children have a close bond. Some children remain living with their parents, even when they get married. Not everyone chooses this route, but it’s not unheard of. Also, it’s standard for parents to pay for their children’s college education, and to purchase a house when their children get married. Again, not every family is financially able to do this, but just because a child grows up doesn’t mean the bond between parent and child is over.

You might be thinking, why are children still mooching off their parents even when they become adults? However, if anything, it’s a reciprocal relationship, rather than a parasitical relationship. When parents become old and too feeble to take care of themselves, the children are expected to take care of the parents, whether it’s financially or emotionally. You can think of it as a cycle. When the kids are young the parents take care of the children, and when parents become old, the children are expected to return the favor.