In Korea, if you do not receive any gift on Valentine's day then all the singles go to Korean restaurants and eat black noodles to celebrate (or mourn) their single status.
Korea's Black Day: Singles Mourn With Black Noodles
If you think Valentine's Day is tough for single people, South Korea has turned romantic disappointment into a full-blown dining tradition. Meet Black Day, celebrated every April 14, where singles who struck out on both Valentine's Day and White Day gather at Korean-Chinese restaurants to commiserate over bowls of jajangmyeon—thick wheat noodles smothered in black bean paste.
The color coordination is no accident. Singles dress in black from head to toe—black clothes, black nail polish, black accessories—and drown their sorrows in jet-black noodles washed down with black coffee. It's like a funeral for your love life, except everyone's invited and the casserole is delicious.
The Valentine's Trilogy
Black Day doesn't exist in isolation. It's the finale of Korea's three-part romance saga. On February 14 (Valentine's Day), women traditionally give chocolate to men they're interested in. One month later on March 14 (White Day), men reciprocate with gifts worth roughly three times the value—white chocolate, marshmallows, jewelry, or other "white" gifts (though these days any color flies).
If you received nothing on either day? Congratulations, you've qualified for Black Day. April 14 is your consolation prize.
Jajangmyeon: The Star of Sadness
The dish at the heart of Black Day is jajangmyeon, a Korean-Chinese comfort food consisting of thick noodles topped with chunjang (fermented black soybean paste), diced pork or seafood, vegetables, and served with danmuji (pickled yellow radish). It's cheap, filling, and satisfying—the perfect meal when you're splitting the bill with your equally single friends.
Why black noodles specifically? Beyond the obvious aesthetic match, jajangmyeon is one of Korea's most popular comfort foods for delivery and casual dining. Restaurants report double or even triple their usual sales on Black Day, with some hosting jajangmyeon eating contests and special promotions.
Reality Check
Here's where things get interesting: while Black Day makes great headlines internationally, actual Korean millennials report it's more media hype than genuine tradition. Unlike Valentine's Day and White Day—which get massive commercial advertising campaigns—Black Day promotions are relatively minimal. Many young Koreans view the "sad singles gathering" narrative as exaggerated or outdated.
That said, the tradition does exist, and restaurants definitely capitalize on it. Whether you're genuinely mourning your single status or just using it as an excuse to hang out with friends and eat delicious noodles, Black Day offers a peculiarly Korean spin on self-care.
The 14th of Every Month
- January 14: Candle Day (romantic dinner by candlelight)
- May 14: Rose Day (give yellow roses for friends, red for lovers)
- June 14: Kiss Day (exactly what it sounds like)
- December 14: Hug Day (stay warm together)
Korea has love-related holidays on the 14th of every single month. Black Day is just the most deliciously cynical entry in the calendar. Whether you're celebrating romance or the lack thereof, South Korea has you covered—preferably in black bean sauce.