Chuseok is something I had been looking forward to since I arrived in Korea. Not only is it the most traditional holiday in Korea it is the biggest as well.
Chuseok is deemed the “thanksgiving’ of Korea because it is a time where people gather with family, share food and celebrate harvest. However, there is also a lot deeper meaning in Chuseok for Koreans. This is the time they bow to picture of family members past, give offerings to the graves and celebrate the past of Korea.
For me it was just as meaningful but in a totally different way. I was going to get to spend Chuseok with my family as well!
My grandma was already here visiting and my mom flew into Korea the Sunday before Chuseok and had to leave the very next Sunday.
I had heard about Seoul turning into a ghost town during Chuseok because so many people left the city to go home to family. Because of this, I was really worried that nothing would be open and we wouldn’t get to do very much.
I also got to have some home cooked food from my mom and grandma, (skillet fried chicken, mashed potatoes, chicken and noodles YUM) which felt like thanksgiving to me! YAY!
Overall, Chuseok was a very special holiday for me in many many ways. I don’t think that I will ever forget my one Chuseok spent here in Seoul and I KNOW I will be finding a recipe for yakgwa when I get back! hehehe ;-)
T&S
K.C.
Chuseok is deemed the “thanksgiving’ of Korea because it is a time where people gather with family, share food and celebrate harvest. However, there is also a lot deeper meaning in Chuseok for Koreans. This is the time they bow to picture of family members past, give offerings to the graves and celebrate the past of Korea.
For me it was just as meaningful but in a totally different way. I was going to get to spend Chuseok with my family as well!
My grandma was already here visiting and my mom flew into Korea the Sunday before Chuseok and had to leave the very next Sunday.
I had heard about Seoul turning into a ghost town during Chuseok because so many people left the city to go home to family. Because of this, I was really worried that nothing would be open and we wouldn’t get to do very much.
Boy was I wrong!
Not only were all of the main tourist attractions open during the holiday, most of them had special events going on!
So yes, I spent my Chuseok with family going to Gyeongbuk palace (for free because of the holiday) the folk museum, the palace museum, and the cheonggacheon. All places that I felt really give a great feel for the history of Korea and helped both me and my family understand a bit more about Korea.
I really think that times are changing here in Seoul. People talk about how dead Seoul is for Chuseok and everything is closed. However, everything was open, tons of restaurants were open as well and they were even packed with people.
In fact, I’m pretty sure I saw more people in places like Gwanghamun square, the palace and the museums than I have ever seen before. There was even a huge concert going on!
Even just the little things about Chuseok were really nice. For example getting to see all of the families out and about for the holiday. Some were even clad in traditional hanboks while walking the streets of Seoul.
While we traveled around seoul we were also enjoying lots of different traditional food, special for the holiday. My favorites were yakgwa and songpyeon.
Yakgwa is a dessert made of honey, sesame oil and wheat flower. To me it tasted just like a funnel cake without the powder sugar. Very yummy! But I only ever want one of these at a time. One is always enough! Still, it's a must try!
Songpyeon was also delicious. It is a crescent moon shaped rice cake that is filled with either sesame seeds, red bean paste or other traditional fillings and then steam cooked with pine needles. The pine needles give it a unique flavor and they are very yummy. I love the sesame filled ones the best, but that’s not unusual. I pretty much love anything sesame.
I also got to have some home cooked food from my mom and grandma, (skillet fried chicken, mashed potatoes, chicken and noodles YUM) which felt like thanksgiving to me! YAY!
Really, despite the things we did or the things we ate, what really made Chuseok so wonderful was being able to spend it with family. It was truly special to me to be able to tell people that my family was coming into town and that I was going to spend the holiday with them. I think because of this, I really came to understand the true meaning of the holiday and it is just that: Family.
K.C.
