Can a chocolate seal the fate of a man? Apparently, yes. In South Asian countries like South Korea, Taiwan and Japan, it is the women who give chocolates to all the men in their lives on Valentine’s Day! And, it is the type of chocolate that is given that becomes the deciding factor between gloom and elation. ‘Giri-choco’ is ‘courtesy chocolate’, usually some store-bought stuff, and is given out of courtesy to those males in whom the woman has absolutely no romantic interest. The lucky ones are given the real yummy, homemade chocolates, the ‘honmei-choko’!

Interestingly, a month later, on March 14, it is the men’s turn to give return gifts to all the women who presented them with chocolates. That’s known as the White Day. Almost like two Valentine’s Days in a year!

White Day was first celebrated in Japan in 1978 on an initiative by the National Confectionery Industry Association. Combining business acumen and gender equality, it was supposed to be the answer to Valentine’s Day! White Day was payback time for all the men who had received chocolates a month earlier from the women and they could return the favour with candies, chocolates (white chocolate in particular) and marshmallows!

While White Day is common to both Japan and South Korea, the singles in South Korea have created an informal Black Day. This occurs a month later (on April 14th) to mourn their still-single status! The day is marked by dressing in dark clothes, eating noodles with black bean sauce and mingling with other lonely hearts!