Wishing Every Day Could Be Like Chuseok: Korea’s Chuseok
- zone tp
- Oct 3
- 3 min read
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Chuseok, one of Korea’s biggest holidays!
Wondering how to celebrate Chuseok?
Learn a bit about Chuseok and discover its special traditions.
It’s also fun to try making the traditional foods that represent Chuseok!
Let's begin😎
Chuseok falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, meaning it occurs in the middle of August and the middle of autumn. Even though many traditional customs have faded, it remains a major holiday in Korea, where families gather to enjoy various Chuseok traditions and games.
On Chuseok morning, families perform ancestral rites called charye, and afterward, they visit the graves of ancestors in a practice called seongmyo. In the evening, people often make wishes while looking at the full moon. These customs originated in Korea’s agrarian society, celebrating a bountiful autumn harvest and giving thanks to ancestors. Chuseok also marked a restful period after the farming season, during which people enjoyed seasonal folk games like ganggangsullae (circle dance), tug-of-war, traditional wrestling, and archery, strengthening community bonds. While family and village ties have weakened over time, Chuseok remains a cherished occasion for spending time and connecting with family.
Charye is a simple ancestral rite, mainly observed during Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok today. It is generally held on Chuseok morning, though practices can vary by household. Families prepare rice, rice cakes, and liquor from the new harvest to offer thanks to ancestors for a bountiful year. Depending on the local environment, special agricultural or seafood products may also be offered, and in regions where rice farming is difficult, bread might be used instead. A unique feature of charye foods is that seasonings like chili powder and garlic, believed to repel spirits, are not used in the offerings.
When setting the charye table, there are traditional guidelines such as hongdongbaekseo (placing red fruits in the east and white fruits in the west) and joyulishi (the order of jujube, chestnut, pear, persimmon), but these rules were not documented in historical texts and developed over generations. They are not mandatory. Nowadays, families often place foods they enjoy or simplified offerings on the table, focusing on honoring ancestors and strengthening family bonds rather than strictly following tradition. After performing charye, families partake in eumbok, eating the food and drinking the liquor that were offered during the rite. Eumbok symbolizes receiving blessings from ancestors. Sharing the food and drink provides a meaningful time to strengthen family bonds and community ties.
Times and seasons foods are traditional dishes prepared to honor specific holidays, and in the past, Koreans ate foods suited to the season to maintain health. Just as rice cake soup is eaten on Seollal and red bean porridge on Dano, the seasonal food for Chuseok is songpyeon. Songpyeon is a steamed rice cake made from rice flour and filled with ingredients like sesame seeds, chestnuts, red beans, or mung beans. It can have various fillings and is loved by people of all ages for its sweet taste. This Chuseok, why not make songpyeon yourself to reflect on the holiday’s meaning and enjoy a fun time?
Mix glutinous rice flour with sugar, then gradually add moderately warm water while kneading to form a dough. Since the moisture content of each flour can vary, add water little by little and check the texture. This process is called ikbannuk (pre-cooking kneading). Next, prepare the filling. One simple filling is sesame, made by mixing sesame seeds, sugar, and a pinch of salt.
Tear off pieces of the dough, shape them into balls, and press a thumb into the center to make a hollow for the filling. Place the filling inside, pinch the edges closed, and press to remove air. Then, shape the dough into a half-moon with your thumb and forefinger.
When the steamer is ready, lay a damp cloth to prevent sticking and place the songpyeon inside. Adding pine needles beneath the rice cakes gives a pleasant aroma. Once steamed, soak the songpyeon in cold water, drain, and toss with sesame oil before serving.
