What is 추석 (Chuseok)? Korean Thanksgiving explained

Maybe your Korean friend is suddenly busy in September. Shops close, and train tickets are gone. That is Chuseok. Here is what happens, and what you can say.

What does 추석 mean?

추석 comes from Chinese characters. It means roughly "autumn evening." The holiday has an older, native Korean name too: 한가위 (Hangawi).

• 한 (han) means "big."
• 가위 (gawi) is an old word for the middle of the 8th lunar month.

So 한가위 is "the big middle of autumn." You will see both names on TV, on gift boxes and in holiday messages.

Chuseok is one of Korea's two most important traditional holidays. The other one is 설날 (Seollal), the Lunar New Year. In December 2023, Korea's heritage agency named Chuseok customs a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

When is Chuseok?

The date follows the lunar calendar. So it moves every year on the normal calendar. It usually falls in September or October.

The holiday has three days: the day before Chuseok, Chuseok itself, and the day after.

If you plan a trip to Korea, check the Chuseok dates first. Many restaurants and department stores close on Chuseok Day. Convenience stores and shops near tourist places often stay open.

What do people eat?

The star of the table is 송편 (songpyeon). It is a small rice cake shaped like a half moon.

• The dough is made from rice powder.
• Inside, there is sesame, beans, red beans or chestnuts.
• People steam the cakes on a bed of pine needles. The needles give a light pine smell.

Many families make songpyeon together on the evening before Chuseok. Everyone sits around one table, and each person's cakes look a little different.

Other holiday foods are also common:

• 전 (jeon) — pan-fried pieces of fish or vegetables in egg batter
• 잡채 (japchae) — glass noodles with vegetables
• 갈비찜 (galbijjim) — braised beef ribs
• 식혜 [시케] (sikhye) — a sweet rice drink

What do families do?

Chuseok is mostly about family. Many Koreans travel to their hometowns for it.

차례 (charye): the morning ritual

On Chuseok morning, many families hold 차례 (charye). This is a memorial ritual for their ancestors. They usually gather at the house of the oldest family line.

They put food on a table for the ancestors. This includes newly harvested rice, alcohol and songpyeon. After the ritual, the family eats the food together. Today, most families hold 차례 mainly on Seollal and Chuseok.

성묘 (seongmyo): visiting family graves

Families also do 성묘 (seongmyo). They visit their ancestors' graves. They pull out weeds around the graves and hold a short, simple ritual.

Games and the full moon

Some people play traditional games, like 제기차기 (jegichagi). In this game, you kick a small object wrapped in paper or cloth. You try to keep it in the air.

There is also 강강술래 (ganggangsullae), a circle dance under the full moon. At night, many people look at the moon and make a wish.

What to say on Chuseok

You don't need a long speech. One short phrase is enough.

추석 잘 보내세요 is the safest choice for almost anyone. Use it with teachers, shop owners and coworkers. Drop the 요 sound at the end only with close friends.

Easy mistakes

• Expecting a party. Chuseok is not a loud festival. For many people, it is a quiet family time.
• Planning big shopping on Chuseok Day. Many stores close. Shop a few days before.
• Booking trains late. Train and express bus tickets sell out quickly. Check when the sale opens, and book early.

Why do so many Koreans travel home?

The road home is called 귀성길 (gwiseonggil). News programs often show long lines of cars on the highways. A trip that normally takes a few hours can take much longer.

So why do people do it every year? For many families, Chuseok is one of the few times everyone can meet. Grown children live in big cities. Parents and grandparents often live in other towns. The holiday is a promise to come home, even when the trip is hard.

Are you a visitor with no family to visit? You can still enjoy the holiday. Seoul's royal palaces usually offer free entry during Chuseok. Most national museums close on Chuseok Day, but they open on the other holiday days.

Quick check

1. Chuseok falls on which lunar date? → The 15th day of the 8th lunar month
2. What is the half-moon rice cake called? → 송편 (songpyeon)
3. You leave work before the holiday. What do you say to your manager? → 추석 잘 보내세요.