In South Korea, the 14th of every month is a specific romantic holiday. You know Valentine’s (Feb 14) and White Day (Mar 14), but the cycle actually kicks off in January. On Jan 14th, couples exchange diaries to mark the start of a new year together.

When Koreans say “Diary”, they almost never mean a private journal for secrets. They mean a Yearly Planner. Stationery culture is huge in Korea, and January is peak season for buying beautifully designed organizers.

Exchanging planners is a subtle act of commitment. By giving your partner a blank book for the year ahead, you are implicitly saying: “I plan to be part of your life for the next 12 months.” Couples often sit together on this day to pre-fill important dates.

Westerners celebrate years; Koreans count days. You need that planner to calculate exactly when your 100th, 200th, or 1000th day anniversary falls so you don’t miss the celebration!

Write the ultimate Korean phrase of commitment: “올해도 잘 부탁해” (Ol-hae-do jal bu-tak-hae). Translation: “Please take care of me this year, too.”

Like many traditions, it’s heavily promoted to sell leftover stock after New Year’s. But many young couples still embrace it as a cute excuse for a cozy winter date and a fresh start.

Physical planners are classic, but many use “Couple Apps” (like Between) now. These apps serve as digital shared diaries and automatically calculate milestones.

Would you do this with your partner? Let us know in the comments! 👇