Korean Traditional Game : Tujeon

Korean Traditional Game Series 57

Tujeon
(투전 · Korean Traditional Card Game)

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🕰️ 1. Introduction

Tujeon (투전) is a traditional Korean card game enjoyed for generations, especially during holidays and gatherings.
Using tujeon cards—distinct from modern playing cards—players relied on sharp memory, calculation, and strategy rather than luck alone.

Historically, Tujeon was played by adults in marketplaces, inns, and homes, often as a way to pass time, test wits, and socialize.
Though simple in appearance, the game demanded careful thinking and restraint, reflecting Korea’s long tradition of intellectual play.

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🪄 2. How to Play

1. Preparing the cards:
   Tujeon cards are small, rectangular, and marked with symbols or numbers.
   Each set follows regional rules, but all require recognizing card values and combinations.
2. Dealing:
   Cards are shuffled and dealt evenly among players.
   The remaining cards may be placed face down in the center, depending on the version.
3. Playing rounds:
   Players take turns placing cards, forming combinations, or comparing values according to agreed rules.
   Strategy lies in remembering which cards have appeared and predicting opponents’ hands.
4. Winning the game:
   The round ends when one player achieves the highest-value combination or successfully empties their hand.
   Friendly banter often accompanies each reveal, making the game as social as it is competitive.

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👀 3. Example from Life

On a winter evening, adults gather around a low wooden table, cups of warm tea nearby.
Cards slide quietly across the floor as players watch one another’s faces.
A small smile, a raised eyebrow—every gesture becomes part of the game.

When the winning card is finally placed, laughter breaks the tension.
More than victory, it’s the shared time and clever exchange that makes Tujeon memorable.

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🌏 4. Similar Traditions Around the World

• China: Traditional card and tile games emphasizing calculation and memory.
• India: Strategic card games played during festivals and family gatherings.
• Europe: Classic card games that value logic, probability, and player psychology.

Across cultures, card games like Tujeon show how play can sharpen the mind while strengthening social bonds.

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💌 Closing Words

Tujeon reminds us that play does not need extravagance to be meaningful.
With a few cards and attentive minds, people found joy, challenge, and connection.
It stands as a quiet testament to Korea’s respect for intelligence, patience, and shared moments.

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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.
Sharing is welcome with proper source citation.