CHUSEOK

Chuseok (추석), less known as hangawi (한가위), is one of the biggest holidays in South
Korea. Sometimes, it is also called Korean Thanksgiving because it shares similar traditions
to the Thanksgiving holiday in the US.
Chuseok is a three-day holiday, held every fall. It takes place on the 15 th day of the 8th month
according to the lunar calendar. Even though the exact date changes every year, Chuseok is
typically celebrated in September or October. For reference, this year it takes place on
September 28. The three-day period includes the day before Chuseok, Chuseok and the day
after Chuseok.
Now, after learning all the basic stuff about Chuseok, let's take a look at its history. According
to the legend, an ancient king, Silla, started a month long weaving contest between two
teams. The team who had woven the most won, and the other team had to treat them with
food, drinks and other gifts – thus starting the Chuseok tradition almost 2000 years ago.
The main purpose of Chuseok was to gather family members during the full harvest moon, to
celebrate and show gratitude to their ancestors. This holiday is very much a traditional one,
where customs from the old days still stand. Let's discuss some of these customs below.
First one is Charye (차례) – Korean ancestral worship rituals. Charye takes place on the
morning on the day of Chuseok. That is when family members gather in homes to honor their
ancestors. The representative foods for this service are freshly harvested rice, alcohol and
songpyeon rice cakes. Main characteristic of this service is bowing to your ancestors.
Next popular custom is Beolcho ( 벌 초 ) – Korean ancestral grave maintenance. During
Chuseok, people visit ancestral graves, pluck the grass and wild plants that have grown since
the last time. It is considered a familial duty and it often takes place shortly before Chuseok
itself.
Of course, every holiday has its traditional foods, and so does Chuseok. First is the most
popular Chuseok food - Songpyeon. Songpyeon is a rice cake, prepared with rice powder,
sesame seeds, red beans and other kinds of beans. This rice cakes are prepared night before
Chuseok and they look like the lunar moon. There is a belief that who makes the most
beautiful songpyeon will have a successful marriage or give a birth to a beautiful child.
Japchae is another dish to prepare and eat over Chuseok. This is a noodle dish in sesame oil
with mushrooms, onion, carrot, spinach etc.
Along with food, there are also many traditional games that people enjoy. Starting off with
Ganggangsullae, a folk dance performed by women as a prayer. They gather together under
the full moon, sing and dance by rotating clockwise. This dance can last until dawn. Next is
Ssireum – a wrestling sport. Opponents wrestle by holding each other`s belt. Winner is the
one who succeeds to get their opponent on the ground.
For us, foreigners, it is hard to experience Chuseok like Koreans do. The only way to get full
experience is getting invited by your friend, boyfriend or girlfriend. Even if you don`t have
someone to invite you, there are plenty of cultural sites in Korea, especially in Seoul.
Two years ago, I had amazing opportunity to experience Chuseok. Wearing Korean
traditional clothing, called Hanbok, eating delicious food, enjoying the time I had with my
friends and family is truly the best thing I`ve ever experienced.