Chuseok: Korea's Harvest Festival — Traditions, Food, and Expressions

Chuseok: The Korean Thanksgiving

If someone asked me to pick one moment to experience authentic Korea, I'd say 추석 (Chuseok) without hesitation. This harvest festival, often compared to American Thanksgiving, is one of the two most important holidays in the Korean calendar alongside Seollal (Lunar New Year).

After 12 years in Seoul, I've lived through 12 Chuseoks. And every year, it's the same magic: an entire country stops for three days to honor its ancestors, reunite with family, and eat — a tremendous amount of eating.

What Is 추석 (Chuseok)?

The 15th Day of the 8th Lunar Month

Chuseok falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, usually between mid-September and early October. It's the autumn full moon, when the moon is at its largest and most beautiful.

The original name is 한가위 (Hangawi), a purely Korean word meaning "the great middle (of autumn)." It's a festival of gratitude for abundant harvests, celebrated for over 2,000 years — traces date back to the 신라 (Silla) kingdom.

Three Days Off

Chuseok is a three-day holiday: the day before, the day itself, and the day after. In practice, many Koreans take additional days off. Result: a large portion of the country is on the move.

Chuseok Traditions

성묘 (Seongmyo) — Visiting Ancestral Graves

The most important tradition is 성묘 (seongmyo) — visiting ancestral graves. Families travel to cemeteries to clean graves, pull weeds, and pay respects.

The first time I accompanied my wife's family for 성묘, I was struck by the care and respect involved. It's a moment of reflection but also family bonding — people often picnic around the graves afterward.

차례 (Charye) — Memorial Rites

On Chuseok morning, families perform 차례 (charye) — memorial rites before an altar laden with food arranged according to precise rules, facing north.

Typical 차례 dishes:

• 송편 (songpyeon) — Half-moon rice cakes
• 전 (jeon) — Korean pancakes (vegetable, fish, meat)
• 과일 (gwail) — Seasonal fruits (apples, pears, persimmons)
• 나물 (namul) — Seasoned vegetables
• 불고기 (bulgogi) — Marinated beef

세배 (Sebae) — Respectful Bows

After 차례, younger family members perform 세배 (sebae) — a deep bow to the floor. Elders give money (세뱃돈 — sebaetdon) and blessings in return.

Chuseok Food

송편 (Songpyeon) — The Signature Dish

송편 (songpyeon) is THE Chuseok dish. Small half-moon rice cakes filled with:

• 깨 (kkae) — Sweet sesame seeds
• 팥 (pat) — Red bean paste
• 밤 (bam) — Chestnuts
• 콩 (kong) — Beans

They're steamed on 솔잎 (sollip — pine needles), giving them a delicate fragrance. There's a saying: "The person who makes beautiful songpyeon will find a beautiful spouse." My wife says mine are ugly — apparently she got lucky anyway.

전 (Jeon) — Korean Pancakes

Chuseok is incomplete without 전 (jeon):

• 동그랑땡 (donggeulangttaeng) — Breaded meat balls
• 호박전 (hobakjeon) — Zucchini pancakes
• 김치전 (kimchijeon) — Kimchi pancakes
• 부추전 (buchujeon) — Chive pancakes

Preparing jeon is a culinary marathon. My mother-in-law starts the day before and spends hours at the pan. The kitchen fills with sesame oil aroma — that's the scent of Chuseok.

민속놀이 (Minsok Nori) — Traditional Games

윷놀이 (Yutnori)

윷놀이 (yutnori) is the most popular Chuseok game. You throw four wooden sticks and advance pieces on a board. Simple, noisy, incredibly competitive.

강강술래 (Ganggangsullae)

Under the full moon, women traditionally danced in a circle singing 강강술래. This 16th-century dance is UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

씨름 (Ssireum)

씨름 (ssireum) is traditional Korean wrestling. The winner traditionally receives a live bull.

The Chuseok Exodus: Legendary Traffic Jams

48 million Koreans travel simultaneously to their 고향 (gohyang — hometown). Seoul to Busan, normally 4 hours, can take 8 to 12 hours. Highways become parking lots. KTX sells out weeks ahead.

Koreans call this 귀성 (gwiseong — returning home) — a poetic word evoking the idea of returning to one's roots.

Essential Vocabulary

Chuseok Expressions

• 추석 잘 보내세요 (Chuseok jal bonaeseyo) — "Have a great Chuseok"
• 즐거운 추석 되세요 (jeulgeoun Chuseok doeseyo) — "Happy Chuseok"
• 한가위 잘 보내세요 (Hangawi jal bonaeseyo) — Traditional version

My Advice After 12 Chuseoks

If you're in Korea during Chuseok, enjoy that Seoul is nearly empty. Residents have gone to their 고향 — palaces, markets, Gangnam are wonderfully quiet. But many restaurants close, so shop ahead.

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