On Nov. 11, Pepero Day was celebrated all over SIS, with many boxes of Pepero being shared among friends and teachers. There were some who ordered Pepero from the Red Cross Youth club fundraiser, some who bought their own, and even some who made their own Pepero. 

“The Red Cross Youth club decided to host Pepero Day since none of the other clubs were planning to host,” Bin Chiang(11), Red Cross Youth Executive, said. “We decided to set up a small but fun event that students could enjoy to relieve academic stress. It also spreads awareness about Red Cross Youth and how the club prioritizes students.”

Although Pepero Day is not an official holiday, it is deeply ingrained into modern Korean culture. The origin of the holiday is traced back to a news story in 1983 about Pepero, where two middle school students exchanged Pepero. The date of the event is not arbitrary, as it was specifically picked due to the 1s matching the shape of the snack. Since its development, the whole of Korea has celebrated 11/11, including SIS where Pepero Day is now an annual event. 

“Although not everybody in SIS participates, it is still a very exciting day because I think it improves the mood of the school,” Ann Lee (10), a student who made her own Pepero, said. “The idea of trading Pepero and eating them is entertaining. I personally decided to participate because I was quite stressed due to studying, and I thought celebrating Pepero day would lift my mood. I also wanted to see my friends be happy when I gave them my homemade Pepero.”

Pepero Day was not a large event compared to other school events such as Assassin or the GIN Halloween Carnival, but students and teachers alike experienced the joys of gifting and receiving Pepero. Many will be looking forward to trading Peperos on 11/11 for years to come.