Doljanchi
The first birthday of every child is an extravagant affair in South Korea. Due to the country’s history of disease and famine, it was rare for children to live past their first birthday. Today, advances in healthcare and technology have pretty much eliminated such problems, but they haven’t made the overly-fancy first birthday celebrations obsolete.
In South Korea, celebrating a child’s first birthday is known as doljanchi or dol. It’s also a time where a child chooses his or her destiny by selecting one of many objects placed before them. If a kid chooses a book, they’ll be a genius. If they choose a piggy bank or money, they’ll be rich. Choosing a paintbrush means that they have a creative soul.