100 Things I Love about Korea: #80 - Black Day

Finally, singles have a holiday all to their own.  Unfortunately, it's called Black Day.
In Korea, after Valentine's Day (for men) and White Day (for women), comes the singles' holiday - Black Day on April 14.

For all of the folks who didn't have anyone to celebrate with on the previous holidays, they can get a few other lonely friends together and go eat some jjajjangmyun (noodles with black sauce).  I'm not sure I support the idea that being single is a cause for sadness or mourning.  But I do appreciate that singles are included in the holiday festivities.  Another plus is that this holiday encourages folks to get together - even if it is to commiserate in their mutual singality.  

100 Things I Love about Korea: #79 - White Day

After the male-focused Valentines day, it's payback time for the women with White Day on March 14.  Men should now give a gift to any women who gifted them a month earlier.  Some traditions even have a triple return - where the men give the women something 3 times the value of the gift they received.
Traditional gifts are marshmallows or white chocolate, but nowadays, almost anything works.
Basically, this is just splitting up the big Valentine's Day romantic holiday into two separate celebrations.  I kind of like this.  As I said before, men need all the romantic help they can get.  Also, it spreads the intentional expressions of love out for another month.  (The candy makers don't mind all the added business either!)