Korean Traditional Game : Bangseokttameokgi

🍂 Korean Traditional Game Series 21 

Bangseokttameokgi

(방석따먹기 · Korean Mat Stealing Game)

🕰️ 1. Introduction

Bangseokttameokgi (방석따먹기), literally meaning “stealing the mat,” is a lively Korean outdoor game that tests speed, timing, and clever tactics.
It was often played by children in schoolyards or village courtyards, especially during festivals or after classes.

The word bangseok means “cushion” or “mat,” and ttameokgi means “to take away.”
Players compete to claim or defend mats — or designated spots on the ground — while keeping balance and focus.

🪄 2. How to Play

• Mats (bangseok) or cloth squares are placed in a line or circle on the ground.
• Each mat represents a “territory.” The number of mats is always one fewer than the number of players.
• When the signal is given, players run to sit on a mat as quickly as possible.
• The player left without a mat is “out” for that round or must perform a playful penalty, such as singing a song or doing a funny dance.
• In some variations, players can challenge others for their mats by tagging or pulling gently, creating moments of laughter and quick reflexes.
• The mats are rearranged after each round, and the game continues until one winner remains.

👀 3. Example from Life

In schoolyards and neighborhood alleys, children’s laughter would ring out as they dashed toward colorful mats on the dusty ground.
Sometimes shoes flew off in the excitement, and friends teased each other over quick moves and near misses.

Bangseokttameokgi was not about rivalry, but about sharing energy, laughter, and the thrill of friendly competition.

🌏 4. Similar Games Around the World

• Western countries: Musical Chairs, where players compete for limited seats when the music stops.
• Japan: Zabuton-tori, a similar cushion-grabbing game played indoors.
• Philippines: Trip to Jerusalem, a musical seat race with laughter and strategy.

✨ Bangseokttameokgi reminds us that joy doesn’t come from victory alone — it grows from the moments of movement, laughter, and togetherness shared along the way.

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💌 Closing Words

Bangseokttameokgi is more than a game of speed.
It symbolizes the joy of community, the excitement of play, and the harmony found in shared laughter.
Through this simple game, generations of Korean children learned balance, strategy, and friendship.

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📌 Note
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