While the Chinese eat their dumplings, Koreans make a rice cake soup called duk gook and play yut nori, a strategy game where yut-sticks are cast instead of dice to advance on the board.

Mrs Lim spent yesterday cooking up a feast for her three children, husband, family and friends.

Year of the Horse celebrations begin

Her favourite dishes are sweet potato stuffed noodles (chap chae) and a range of battered and pan-fried dishes (jeons).

"The best thing about Korean culture is the food, I love the variety," she said.

"We cook enough to feed the whole town.

"Sharing is the basis of Korean culture, we share everything we can."

Mrs Lim first came to study in Australia in 1995 and was pursued by her high school sweetheart, Wonsok Kim, who followed her nine years later to get married.

Now, she teaches Korean to primary students at Tarrawanna Public School and runs a Korean community language program.

In addition to celebrating the new year today, she said Koreans also turn one year older.

Although they still celebrate their own birthdays, they don't traditionally add another year to their age until New Year's Day, rather than on their date of birth.

Some Korean families tell their children they won't turn a year older until they have eaten their duk gook.