Korea’s Chuseok Holiday and Thanksgiving

 

On August 15th of the lunar calendar, Koreans celebrate the biggest holiday called Chuseok. It’s a day of giving thanks to all the harvested crops and gathering of families and relatives together for a good time. This kind of celebration is not something exclusive in Korea. Many other countries have holidays that are similar to Chuseok.

For instance, the U.S. and Canada celebrate Thanksgiving. Dish made of turkey and cornare usually served for dinner. This tradition is derived from hunting wild turkeys and yielding whole corn from the first harvest in the early settlement period.

The Chinese also celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15th of the lunar calendar. They make wishes toward the full moon at a moon watching festival and eat round moon cakes made of flour, sugar, and eggs. 

The most iconic Chuseok food for Koreans is songpyeon. It is a rice cake made of rice flour dough and many different types of fillings, including sesame, red beans, and chestnuts. Since ancient times, Koreans have played traditional games such as ganggangsullae and ssireum on Chuseok. Today, family and relatives gather to chat and enjoy their time together. They also pay respects to their ancestors and give thanks for a year of good harvest.

Though they have different names, Chuseok, Mid-Autumn Festival and Thanksgiving all have similar meanings. During your stay in Korea, try making songpyeon and enjoy traditional games during the Chuseok holidays. In 2020, Chuseok falls on October 1st, and the official holiday period is September 30th to October 2nd.