韓國"黑色情人節"單身也狂歡

It was a Black Day for love in South Korea on Monday with lonely hearts trying to ease their pain by diving head first into bowls of noodles.

South Korea celebrates Valentine's Day, where local custom dictates women give gifts to men. It has taken on a popular event born in Japan but sweeping Asia known as White Day on March 14 when men return the favour with gifts for women.

But Black Day, on April 14, is a South Korean original. It is marked by people who have not found love dressing in dark colours and commiserating over meals of black food, with the dish of choice being Chinese-style noodles topped with a thick sauce of black bean paste.

"I had a miserable time on Valentine's Day, felt even lonelier on White Day and now I'm crying over a bowl of black noodles," said a young woman.

"Things better be different next year."

At universities across the country on Monday, students without lunch dates ordered black noodles, dined with other lonely hearts and searched for companionship.

South Korea marketers have hatched special days(click for more) for the 14th of each month to create a calendar laden with love.

Some days have gained traction such as Black Day, while others such as Green Day in August, when couples are supposed to drink cheap liquor that comes in green bottles and walk in the woods, have yet to attract much of a following.

Black Day events have snowballed, with a major matchmaking service this year providing an evening of speed dating where the dish of choice is sushi blackened by squid ink.

An on-line company for movie tickets sponsored a speed eating competition of black noodles for those who bought single tickets for the latest films.

"It is depressing enough going to the movies by yourself," said Shin Youn-joo of the company called Max Movie.

"We just wanted to spread a little joy to the 'with-outs'."

昨天是韓國的“黑色情人節”，孤單寂寞的單身人士紛紛在這一天大吃幾碗麪條，來排遣心中的愁苦。

按照韓國的習俗，在（2月14日）西方情人節這天，女士應送禮物給男士，到了3月14日的“白色情人節”，男士則應回贈女士。“白色情人節”起源於日本，但現在已風靡亞洲很多地區。

4月14日的“黑色情人節”是韓國原創的節日。在這一天，尚未找到心上人的單身人士通常會穿上深色衣服，大吃“黑色食品”給自己解悶，這種“黑色食品”通常是中式豆醬面。

一位年輕女士說：“情人節我過得很鬱悶，白色情人節更是孤單，今天我獨自吃着一碗黑麪條，黯然神傷。”

“但願明年會不一樣。”

昨天，韓國各地大學校園的“節日氣氛”也頗爲濃厚，沒有戀人的學生也紛紛爲自己買上一碗黑麪條聚在一起吃，並趁機尋找發展戀情的機會。

韓國商家將每月的14日都定爲愛情節日,簡直是打造了一個“愛的日曆”。

其中一些節日已開始流行，比如黑色情人節；而其它一些類似“綠色情人節”的節日則還未形成氣候。在8月14日的“綠色情人節”，情侶們要喝便宜的綠色瓶裝酒，並要去樹林裏散步。

“黑色情人節”的各種慶祝活動如滾雪球般越來越多。韓國一家知名婚介所今年推出了一項“速配之夜”活動，並特爲客人們準備了墨魚汁黑壽司。

一家電影票務在線服務公司專爲購買單人電影票的顧客舉辦了一場吃黑麪條比賽。

這家“馬克斯電影公司”的員工申勇柱說：“一個人看電影肯定很鬱悶。我們只是希望藉此給他們帶來些快樂。”