Chuseok, also known as Korean Thanksgiving or the harvest festival, is an important holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar on the full moon. It is common that Koreans return to their ancestral hometowns to eat traditional foods with family. In fact, train and plane tickets are usually sold out three months in advance. Although it’s true that food is often associated with Chuseok, the significance of Chuseok actually is to remember and spend time with family. It’s not uncommon that families visit their ancestor’s graves and perform different rituals to honor their memory. It’s similar to American thanksgiving in the aspect of sharing meals with family members. However, Korean Thanksgiving emphasizes more of the ancestors that are not alive while American Thanksgiving is focused on living family members.
I remember celebrating Korean Thanksgiving when I live in Korea. I remember the taste of the soft sweet rice cake, Songpyeon. I remember helping my mom and grandmother make them while trying my best to contain my drooling. There was also Hangwa which is a Korean cookie. Hangwa is a desert food that is usually decorated with many different colors, textures, and patterns. Hang is generally made with rice flour, honey, fruit, and roots. I used to think that Hangwa was food for old people because it was considered a desert but was not that sweet. My favorite Korean Chuseok food is probably Japchae. Japchae is stir-fried glass noodles mixed with often with beef many vegetables such as onions, spinach mushrooms. The best combo is to have rice and kimchi with Japchae.
I also remember some of the games we used to play with my family. My favorite game we played together was Dak Sa Um, Chicken Fight. It’s a game where both players bring one of their ankles up above the knee and attempt to knock down the other person’s knee while standing on one leg. It definitely would get intense and physical, but it was loads of fun even though due to my size I did not win too many games. My family has not celebrated Chuseok in a while. We do however celebrate American Thanksgiving. Yet, I definitely do miss celebrating Chuseok.
Following the traditions of your culture, the traditions that your ancestor had also participated in, gives you a distinct sense of fulfillment in ways that you feel like you are getting to know yourself better. I think that is something I have noticed during Thanksgiving. My family celebrates it because that’s what American families do. Yet, I have no individual attachment towards the American holiday because my ancestors and I cannot relate to it. Nevertheless, I’m glad that we still celebrate some sort of thanksgiving because it’s a time where we as a family come together and appreciate each other. I believe that most holidays are significant because of the gathering of family. It’s a time where you pause the mundane things of life to remember your roots and loved ones. Likewise, Chuseok is no different.
Comments
Hey Joon, I also did a post on Chuseok and enjoyed reading your cultural post! It is a time of reconnecting with family which I think is neat and is indeed most similar to American thanksgiving here
Chuseok sounds like a really meaningful holiday for practicing gratitude. I like how the focus is on connecting to your ancestors. Thanks for sharing the rich traditions you have with you family!
We have a similar celebration in Chinese and Vietnamese culture. We also celebrate it with our family on the 8th month of the lunar calendar. It's so interesting to see all the similarities between these cultures.
Hi Seokjoon! I thought this was a great cultural post. I too have researched about Chuseok in the past for one of my cultural posts. It is definitely cool to learn and read about. It is cool to read about the different traditions Korea celebrates and it parallels with American culture as well. I used to celebrate Chuseok back when I was young with my family, but as I have assimilated into the American culture I have not celebrated it in many years.
Thanks for sharing Joon; Chuseok is definitely a holiday to celebrate! Although my immediate family doesn’t have a big celebration, I enjoy seeing my extended family in Korea celebrate it by coming together and having a feast, even if I’m only watching through a phone screen. I remember that the Chicken Fight game was so popular and that I played it during youth group gatherings. The only way I could win was to hop away and hope that my opponents’ legs would cramp so I could be the last one standing.