Korean Traditional Game : Geunetagi

🍂 Korean Traditional Game Series 35

Geunetagi

(그네타기 · Korean Swing Game)

🕰️ 1. Introduction

Geunetagi (그네타기), or Korean swing riding, is a traditional game enjoyed especially by women and girls during festive holidays such as Dano and Chuseok.
The game combines grace, balance, and a sense of liberation — capturing both the joy of play and the beauty of tradition.

In the past, Geunetagi symbolized more than recreation; it was a ritual of aspiration.
As women soared higher on the swing, they believed their wishes for happiness, health, and love would rise with them toward the sky.

🪄 2. How to Play

• A tall wooden frame is built by tying two long ropes or straw lines from a sturdy crossbeam.
• Players stand on the swing’s footboard and hold the ropes firmly with both hands.
• By shifting their body weight and bending their knees, they build momentum to swing higher and higher.
• Friends cheer from below, often singing or clapping in rhythm.
• Competitions are sometimes held to see who can swing the highest or maintain balance with the most grace.

👀 3. Example from Life

On bright festival mornings, young women in colorful hanbok would gather in the village yard.
The swing creaked softly at first, then soared higher as laughter filled the air.
The women’s long skirts fluttered like petals in the wind, reflecting elegance, freedom, and the spirit of celebration.

For the villagers, Geunetagi was not only a beautiful sight — it was a living poem of joy, youth, and shared festivity.

🌏 4. Similar Traditions Around the World

• China: Qiuqian (swing riding) during spring festivals, symbolizing vitality and renewal.
• Japan: Traditional rope swings during Hinamatsuri (Doll Festival).
• Western countries: May Day swings and garden swing traditions celebrating nature and joy.

✨ Geunetagi reminds us that freedom and beauty can exist in the simplest motions — that every upward swing carries dreams skyward.

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💌 Closing Words

Geunetagi is more than a game of motion.
It is a graceful dance between earth and sky, between laughter and longing.
Through this traditional play, generations of Korean women celebrated hope, elegance, and the pure delight of being alive.

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📌 Note
This is a creative cultural content from the Misojieum Story Blog (kor-telling.com).
Please do not copy without permission.
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