North Koreans exchange the birth dates of both parties before getting engaged, which is somewhat similar to ancient Chinese customs. Then, the parents invited local wizards to divine whether their horoscopes were compatible. The older generation of Koreans still value these, because as their proverb says: "Straw sandals are only useful if they fit well." But young people may no longer believe this.

Engagement

Before the wedding, the groom must give a betrothal gift to the bride’s family. According to tradition, the groom should go to the bride's house to deliver the betrothal gift in the evening of the day before the wedding, and the groom should wear a formal dress and blacken his face with dried squid ink. The groom's friends carry the boxes filled with dowry gifts and sing hymns as they go. The bride's family will run out to greet the gift-giving team, treat them to food and give them red envelopes.

Wedding attire

On the wedding day, the bride wore bright Korean traditional clothing and a black hat decorated with gems. The bride wore white socks and embroidered shoes. The bride's makeup is very simple. She needs to draw three red circles the size of five cent coins on her face (traditionally, red paper is applied to the face), because North Koreans believe that this can ward off evil spirits. The groom also wears traditional Korean clothing, which is made of dark green satin with auspicious patterns embroidered with gold thread. The groom also wore a black silk official hat.

Important props at the wedding - white goose and gourd

In a traditional Korean wedding, the groom will give his mother-in-law a live white goose, because there is only one goose in a lifetime. Spouse is a symbol of loyalty. Therefore, the groom’s gift of goose to his mother-in-law shows that he will be loyal to her daughter throughout her life. But in contemporary weddings, a wooden goose has been used instead of a live goose. The wedding venue was surrounded by a peony-patterned cloth, and people gathered around the table to hold the wedding ceremony. The highlight of the wedding was the sharing of jung jong, a North Korean white wine. According to tradition, the wine is poured into two gourds cut from a gourd, which is supposed to have been grown by the bride's mother herself. The bride and groom then each sip white wine from a gourd.

Cold noodle wedding banquet

North Korean wedding banquets are called "noodle banquets". In addition to delicious noodles, there are also various dishes made according to the seasons. At the beginning of the banquet, everyone tasted Korean white wine (jung jong), followed by the banquet's staple Korean cold noodles (kook soo), which are noodles cooked in clear beef broth and served with fresh vegetables and eggs. Like the Chinese, North Koreans believe noodles represent longevity and happiness. After the main meal, guests can continue to enjoy a series of delicious Korean snacks.