Annyeonghaseyo! I just got back from the land of Kimchis and Oppas!

I actually had no idea that I was visiting Korea during one of their largest and most important holidays of the year, Chuseok, not until one Korean friend messaged me about it.

What is Chuseok?

Chuseok is Korea’s thanksgiving day. It doesn’t follow a specific calendar date since it relies on the Lunar movement.

Chuseok is also known as Hangawi — Han means “big” and Gawi means “the ides of the 8th lunar month or autumn”. Hangawi is a major harvest festival celebrated in North and South Korea on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, where the largest full moon of the year appear.

This year, Chuseok Day fell on the 24th of September. The day before and the day after Chuseok are also part of the holiday. But since September 23 fell on a Sunday, the holidays got extended til the 26th of the month of September.

I learned about Chuseok and how the Koreans celebrate this holiday through our guide when I went to visit Korea’s Demilitarized Zone, North and South Korea’s buffer zone.

How do Koreans celebrate Chuseok?

Family members from all over Korea come together to feast, to share stories, and to give thanks to their ancestors. Those who strictly practice their traditions, go back to their hometowns and spend quality time with their families and friends. They wear their traditional clothing, Hanbok, go to temples, graves, or altars and pray to their ancestors.

Charye – It means ancestor memorial service. Families gather at their homes and perform a memorial service in honor of their ancestors. They offer their harvest, alcohol, and rice cakes to their ancestors. They end the ceremony with a feast of delicious food.

Seongmyo – It means visiting the ancestral graves. This is an old tradition carried out by many Koreans up until today to show respect and appreciation for their ancestors. They usually clean the graves and pay respect to their ancestors with a simple memorial service.

Let’s touch a little bit of history…

Did you know that there are some Koreans who don’t have a place to go during the holidays? They are the Koreans whose families were separated during the Korean War. They have no options to visit, to see, or to communicate with any of their family members.

That is the reason why the United Nations along with the government of Korea created a special place for them. It is called Imjingak, pronounced as Ihm-jin-gak. It is located on the banks of the Imjin River in the city of Paju, South Korea. Paju is one of the northern cities of South Korea.

In Imjingak, a park was built where you can see a lot of statues and monuments that tell stories about the Korean War. It was built to console those from both sides of Korea who are unable to return to their hometowns, friends, and families because of Korea’s division.

Enough of the serious historical story! After all, Chuseok is a celebration of harvest and abundance. Let’s cheers to that!

During Chuseok, there are varieties of entertainment and games throughout Korea. You can see several entertainers perform by the road.

Although most of the shops and stores are closed, there are plenty of traditional cultural experiences you could still enjoy. Some of the significant spots, like the palaces, are open to the public for free.

My first Chuseok experience

I visited all the palaces for free. I wore their traditional clothing and walked around the streets while observing how the families spent their holidays together. There was a lot of entertainment by the road so I stopped to watch them too.

Although a lot of spots and shops were closed, it didn’t dampen my mood. I had a fun time exploring the palaces plus it was an adventure looking for an open restaurant.

This is just one part of my #goSeoulo experience. Keep posted for a more detailed post about my trip.

Also read: Korean Tourist Visa Application Guide for Walk-ins in Cebu

Feel free to leave comments or message via e-mail if you have any questions. If you like this article and want to see or know more about my trips and tips, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

xo,

KOREA TRAVEL QUICK LINKS

Korean Tourist Visa Application Guide for Walk-ins in Cebu

Celebrating Chuseok: A Korean Holiday

Best of Gapyeong: A DIY Day Trip Guide

How I Spent 15,000 PHP in South Korea

PHOTO GALLERY

There are lots of entertainers by Anguk/Bukchon area. This guy was playing a variety of beautiful songs, Korean and English. Many girls stop by his spot to appreciate his performance.

Taken exactly on Chuseok Day. Happy Thanksgiving, Korea!

Does anyone know the name of this instrument? This guy played it so well!