추석 or Chuseok is known as Korean Thanksgiving. It is one of the major three holidays celebrated in Korea. It is said that Chuseok dates back to the Silla dynasty of Korean history. The third king, Yuri, held a weaving competition where the prize was a large feast. It is also called as Hangawi, the 15th day of August of the lunar calendar. In Korean culture, it is a three-day-long holiday, celebrating with families and loved ones. Thus many Koreans spend this time visiting their hometowns to spend time with their families.
There are certain traditions that are carried out during Chuseok. This includes Charye services which are when family members gather at the head of the house to honor their ancestors. They spend hours cooking freshly harvested rice, alcohol, songpyeon, jeon, galbijjim, japchae, and other traditional foods offered to the family’s ancestors. After the offering. the family comes together to eat the food. Songpyeon is heavily associated with Chuseok. It is a glutinous sweet rice cake shaped in a half moon. They can be stuffed with red beans, sesame seeds, chestnuts, mungbean and sweet potato. The most important element is that they are steamed over a bed of pine needles.
Koreans also fulfill the custom of seongmyo or visiting their ancestral graves. This includes cleaning the graves and paying their respects to the dead. There is also the tradition of gift-giving. Koreans will give gifts to show their appreciation. They can range from traditional snacks, SPAM, to more recently due to Covid-19, hand sanitizers and masks.
There are also traditional games as well as performances Ganggansullae (강강술래), a traditional folk dance performed by women as a way to ask for a plentiful harvest. They gather under the full moon to perform this dance. Ssireum (씨름) is also held which is a form of Korean traditional wrestling.
Written by: Samantha Garcia. From New York , United States . Current 4th year student at John Jay college of Criminal Justice .Pursing an International Criminal Justice B.A and a minor in Psychology. Intern at VANK (Voluntary Agency Network of Korea)