Memorials & Respect

I've talked a bit about deaths in Korea but I think I'll expand. I hope this post will be considered respectful as that is my intent! I do not really know what the correct terms are when discussing these rituals so please forgive me if I misrepresent things a bit.

There are two basic traditions that are featured in many Kdramas; actual funerals and annual memorials. From what I can tell the actual funeral consists of the family having a smallish display of the deceased's photo with a few flowers surrounding it. Mourners will respectfully face the photo and perform a series of bows and then offer condolences to the family who is standing alongside the display. Then the mourners move to a larger room where they are fed. There doesn't seem to be an established time for this event but rather the family might be there all day long with mourners coming and going throughout the day. Large floral displays are generally lining the hallway leading to these rooms and are identical. The funerals are certainly recognizable to Westerners but still are different than American funerals.

One tradition that Americans do not generally follow is what I will call the memorial for ancestors performed by some members of Korean society. On the anniversary of their loved one's death the family will erect a low table in their home featuring different foods and objects. Family members will again perform ritualized bowing which I assume shows respect for their deceased family members. These annual events are important and not something to be skipped or omitted. Again, the respect for forefathers is highly valued in Korean society.