Chuseok Holiday (Korean Thanksgiving)

Hello Everyone,

Chuseok is one of Korea’s most largely celebrated holidays. It is a time when families and friends gather to share food and enjoy their time together, giving thanks to their ancestors for the year’s bountiful harvests. This years Chuseok will be celebrated on the 11^th – 13^th of September. These days mark prime time for foreigners to tour Korea’s cities and experience Korea’s culture while all the bustling crowds are away visiting family relatives.

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A popular sport that is played during Chuseok holidays is ssireum. In the past, the strongest of the villagers gathered to hold wrestling competitions. The sport of wrestling on sand while being surrounded by spectators has become a traditional favorite in Korea. Today, Ssireum (Korean wrestling) competitions are still held as a folk competition, a one-on-one game to determine the strongest man in Korea. Some of you might know the MC Kang Ho Dong who was once a ssireum champion. You have probably seen him on Korean tv shows with a Mohawk haircut.

A common snack eaten during Chuseok is songpyeon. This rice cake is prepared with rice or non-glutinous rice powder that is kneaded into the perfect size, then filled with sesame seeds, beans, red beans, chestnuts, and a host of other nutritious foods. There is an old Korean saying that says that the person who makes the most beautiful songpyeon will meet a good-looking spouse. So give it a go and try to make a batch of songpyeon. Hahah for first timers you wont be so lucky to meet a good-looking spouse. Here is the link on how to make songpyeon. http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FO/FO_EN_6_5_2_6.jsp

Most stores and places of business are closed on Chuseok, so make sure to purchase anything you need ahead of time. A number of major tourist sites in Seoul remain open during the holidays and even offered Chuseok events and performances, so make sure to check them out.

Here is a list of things to do in Seoul for Chuseok.

Note : Most of these places will be open for the holidays but you should call ahead and double check to make sure. Enjoy your holidays and have a safe and fun vacation.

Best Regards,

Hands Korea