White Day is a commercially driven Asian commemorative day celebrated on March 14th, originating in Japan. While in South Korea, it is known as a day for men to give candy to women, in Japan, white is considered important, so they give white chocolate, marshmallows, candy, and jelly.

Origin of White Day

Unlike Valentine's Day, which originated in Europe, White Day, originating in Japan, was created in 1978 by the Japan National Confectionery Industry Cooperative Association to increase sales and dispose of inventory. Originally, it was called Marshmallow Day, but later changed to a day for giving candy. There is also a claim that it originated from the Kurada Festival in Khabarovsk, Russia, but there is not enough evidence to support this. Mathematicians or those interested in mathematics call it Pi Day because the mathematical constant pi is 3.14.

Meaning of White Day Gifts

White Day is usually when men give candy to women in return for the chocolate they received on Valentine's Day. Nowadays, people exchange various gifts with a white theme, such as marshmallows, candy, cookies, and macarons. In Japan, where it originated, they also assign meanings to the gifts.

Meaning of Gifts in Japan

Marshmallows - Rejection (meaning a quick break because they melt quickly)

Cookies - Friends (meaning a dry or impersonal relationship without feelings)

Madeleines - Want to be friends (meaning favorable because they resemble seashells)

Candy - I like you (meaning that you won't forget due to the sweetness)

Macarons - You are special

Baumkuchen - May happiness continue... (the layered structure means that happiness will continue)

What about South Korea?

Unlike Japan, where the new school year starts in April, in South Korea, the new school year starts in March, so it is difficult to celebrate White Day. Despite knowing it's a commercial scheme, many people still buy candy and give it to the people they like. Theme parks and ski resorts often hold White Day events, and some people even give sanitary pads as gifts because they share the same name as "White Day".

Surprisingly, women have said that candy is the gift they least want to receive on White Day! (So don't give them candy...) Soldiers are often away from society, so even if they have girlfriends, it's difficult to celebrate. They have to ask someone to send it by mail in advance. In North Korea, information from abroad is blocked, and it is a holiday that originated in capitalism, so it is banned. North Korean defectors often don't know about White Day, and older people may not know about it and just ignore it.

Also, there is a tendency to create various "Days" on the 14th of each month to induce commercial consumption. Sales on commemorative days vary depending on the day of the week, with sales being higher if they fall on Thursday or Friday, but sales are lower if they fall on weekends.

Other Countries

Originally, there was no White Day in any other country except Japan. It is only found in Asian countries influenced by Japan, and the culture of women giving gifts to men on Valentine's Day also originated in Japan. As a result, it is natural that men give gifts to women on March 14th as a way of reciprocating. Originally, Valentine's Day was a day for both men and women to celebrate each other, and in countries like the United States, where there is no White Day, products for Easter are immediately replaced after Valentine's Day.

There is continuous criticism that it is a commercial holiday, and there are many opinions that it creates a sense of burden about gifts and promotes excessive consumption. However, if you have a lover, especially if you received a gift on Valentine's Day, you can't help but prepare for the upcoming White Day. Maybe we should just not give or receive gifts, rather than just lining the pockets of businessmen?