Every year on April 14th, South Korea celebrates a unique and lesser-known holiday called Black Day. Unlike Valentine’s Day (Feb 14) and White Day (Mar 14), which focus on couples exchanging gifts and romantic gestures, Black Day is for single people.
On this day, singles come together to commiserate, celebrate, or just enjoy each other’s company—all while indulging in a symbolic dish: jajangmyeon (짜장면), noodles topped with a rich, black bean sauce. The black color of the sauce reflects the mood of the day, but it’s all in good fun.
While it started off as a tongue-in-cheek response to the couple-centric holidays, Black Day has grown into a lighthearted tradition. Some people treat it as a joke, others as a reason to treat themselves, and some even use it as an opportunity to meet fellow singles.
[Photo by ROMAN ODINTSOV]
