Dong, Dong, Dongdaemun(동, 동, 동대문) is a nursery rhyme sung among Korean children, usually while playing a game. It is also the name of the game. A nursery rhyme is a traditional song or poem taught to young children, originally in the nursery. ...

Dongdaemun is most likely to refer directly to the real Dongdaemun (Heunginjimun, the East Grand Gate) of Seoul, and Namdaemun to the real Namdaemun (Sungnyemun, the South Grand Gate). Dongdaemun—more properly known as Heunginjimun—is a prominent landmark in central Seoul, South Korea. ... Namdaemun is located in the heart of Seoul and is an area with a mix of old and new. ...

Lyrics

(Variations may exist in different regions of the country.)

• In Hangeul

동, 동, 동대문을 열어라,

남, 남, 남대문을 열어라,

열 두시가 되면은, (or 지나면,)

문을 닫는다.

• In Revised Romanisation:

Dong, Dong, Dongdaemuneul yeoreora,

Nam, Nam, Namdaemuneul yeoreora,

Yeol dusiga doemyeoneun, (or Yeol dusiga jinamyeon,)

Muneul danneunda.

• Translation

Open the East, East, East Grand Gate,

Open the South, South, South Grand Gate,

When it's at twelve sharp,

The Gates are closed.

Hangul is the native alphabet used to write the Korean language (as opposed to the Hanja system borrowed from China). ... The Revised Romanization of Korean (Korean: 국어의 로마자 표기법; 國語의 로마字 表記法) is the official Korean language romanization system in South Korea. ...

The Game

Two children are selected as the gatekeepers (or the gate itself). They hold their both hands to form an arch so that other players can pass through under it. Children start to sing the song as they pass through the gate one by one in a row. When the song ends, the gates are closed as the gatekeepers lower their hands and catch the child who was passing the gate. The caught child becomes the new gatekeeper. Players can play another turn to select the second gatekeeper, or they can replace the gatekeeepers one by one after each turn of the game.

See also

• London Bridge is Falling Down