사랑의 열쇠

1. 본문

"사랑의 열쇠" (sarang-ui yeolsoe) translates to "love lock" in English.

Here's what the phrase and tradition entail:

• Symbolism: Love locks are padlocks that couples attach to a public fixture, like a bridge, gate, or fence, to symbolize their unbreakable and eternal love.
• Custom: Typically, couples inscribe their names or initials, and sometimes a message of affection, on the lock before attaching it. Often, they will then throw away the key to further symbolize the commitment.
• Popular Location: In South Korea, a famous spot for love locks is the N Seoul Tower on Mt. Namsan. Couples attach locks to the fences and "love lock trees."
• Origin: The tradition appears in many countries. The N Seoul tower is stated to have been inspired by tales of love locks in other cities like Paris.

The love locks are not unique to Korea, and similar traditions can be found in other places around the world, as a public expression of love and commitment.