For many Korean parents, bringing a newborn home from the hospital plays out like a covert mission.

From the moment the baby leaves the hospital, every move is meticulously planned. Swaddled tightly in layers of blankets, the infant is swiftly ushered through the underground parking lot and into the car. There's no detour, only a direct drive home.

Upon arriving the parking lot of their home, the parents rewrap the baby, shielding the child from sunlight and wind before making a quick dash indoors. And with that, the 100-day tradition of voluntary seclusion begins.

In Korea, there is a long-standing tradition of keeping newborns indoors and limiting visitors during the first 100 days after birth. The practice is rooted in the belief that it helps protect the baby, whose immune system is not yet fully developed, from outside germs and infection. Back in the old days, infant mortality rates were high, and surviving the first 100 days of life was considered a major milestone.

With significant advances in health care, the 100-day rule is less strictly followed by parents today.

Yet as a deeply rooted tradition, it continues to spark debate among first-time parents. It also reveals a generational divide: When a baby just one or two months old is seen outside with their parents, older generations may frown upon it, vewing it as a reckless decision that prioritizes parental conveninence over the baby's safety.

“I’m a mom with a 54-day-old newborn. Is it okay to go outside for a walk? How far do you usually go?” one user asked on a local online parenting forum.

For some parents, especially those caring for a newborn on their own, the 100-day confinement, though meant to protect the baby, can feel quite isolating and may even contribute to postpartum depression. The sense of loneliness is often amplified in a society where apartment living is the norm and neighbors tend to remain strangers.

So if your Korean friend recently had a baby and is not going outside like they are in full-on quarantine and turning down visitors, don't take it the wrong way. It's just the 100-day rule.