Quick Answer
What is pyebaek?
Pyebaek is a private, family-only ceremony held right after the main wedding ceremony, in which the bride and groom — dressed in hanbok — perform deep, formal bows to the groom's parents and other elders as a gesture of respect and to be formally welcomed into the family.
Last updated:
Last updated:
What is pyebaek?
Also called: pyebaik, 폐백, Korean family bowing ceremony.
Pyebaek is the part of a Korean wedding that most Western guests never see, because it usually happens in a side room right after the ceremony, with only close family present. The couple, still in hanbok, kneel and bow to the groom's parents, offer them tea or wine, and receive blessings, food, and — in the ritual's best-known moment — a handful of chestnuts and dates thrown at the bride to catch in her skirt.
How a pyebaek ceremony unfolds
- •The couple changes into hanbok immediately after the main ceremony, sometimes in a dedicated pyebaek room at the venue.
- •They bow deeply (a full, floor-touching bow) to the groom's parents first, then to other close relatives depending on the family.
- •The couple offers dates, chestnuts, or alcohol to the parents as a gesture of respect.
- •Parents respond with blessings, advice for the marriage, and often money or gifts tucked into a cloth.
- •The ceremony closes with parents tossing chestnuts and dates toward the bride, who catches them in her held-up hanbok skirt.
Planning notes
- •Budget 20-40 minutes for pyebaek separate from the main ceremony and reception — it is its own event, not a two-minute add-on.
- •A dedicated pyebaek table setup (screens, low table, cushions) is usually rented or provided by the venue or a Korean wedding specialist — confirm this is included, not assumed.
- •Because it is family-only, most venues section it off from general guests; plan a holding activity (cocktail hour, photos) for the wider guest list while it happens.
- •Ask which relatives are expected to attend — the guest list for pyebaek is much smaller and specific compared to the wedding itself.
Keep family-only moments off the main guest schedule
Weddingkart lets you build a separate run-of-show for family-only rituals like pyebaek, so the wider guest list gets a clear schedule without exposing private moments.
See multi-event scheduling →Frequently Asked Questions
Is pyebaek only for the groom's parents?
Traditionally yes — pyebaek is a ritual of the bride and groom being welcomed into the groom's family. Many modern weddings, especially in Korean-American communities, adapt it to include the bride's parents as well.
What do the chestnuts and dates in pyebaek mean?
The parents toss chestnuts and dates for the bride to catch in her skirt as a blessing for children — the number and type of items caught are sometimes said to symbolize the number of children the couple will have, though families treat this playfully rather than literally.
Do guests attend the pyebaek ceremony?
Usually not — pyebaek is traditionally a private, family-only ritual held apart from the main ceremony and reception, often in a separate room at the venue.
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By Mayank JaiswalLast updated