Chuseok [ 추석 ]

Chuseok [ 추석 ], one of the most important festival celebrated in Korea. Chuseok which is also known as Thanks Giving Day which is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. Chuseok is a celebration of good harvest, giving thanks to ancestors for the year's harvest and also sharing abundance with family and friends. 

Chuseok Customs
During Chuseok, people who packed up and make a trip back to their ancestral hometown, where they will then dress up in their traditional clothing ( Usually for the children and the newly wed bride ) , cook delicious food and most importantly - paying respect to their ancestors. 

On the morning of Chuseok, family members will gathered at their home and memorial service - Charye [ 차례 ] will be hold in the honor of their ancestors. Formal Charye will be held twice a year - during lunar  new year and during Chuseok. During Chuseok, the main representative food are food make from freshly harvest rice, alcohol and songpyeon ( a kind of rice cake ). 

Table setting for Charye ( Credits to Gyeong Min for the photo )

Visiting of ancestors grave and paying respect to them is also a traditional custom that is being carried out during Chuseok. This practice is called Seongmyo [ 성묘 ], which is a form of duty and expression for devotion and respect for one's family. 

( Credits to Anes for the photo )

Chuseok Food 

Songpyeong [ 송편 ], a kind of rice cake that is prepared and eaten during Chuseok. Songpyeong which is the representative food of Chuseok is make from newly harvest rice. It's an small crescent-shaped rice cake that contains healthy filling such as sesame seeds, black beans, mung beans, cinnamon, pine nut, walnut, chestnut, jujube, and honey.

Songpyeong [ 송편 ]

Pine needles are usually steamed together with Songpyeong. The pine needles not only contribute the fragrance of  the pine to the rice cake and also contributing to it's beauty and taste. 

On the eve of Chuseok, families members will gathered together and contribute their effort in making Songpyeong. There is an old saying that the person who make the most beautifully shaped Songpyeong will will meet a good spouse or give birth to a beautiful baby. 

After the whole day of work or after Charye, family members will gathered and sit down at the table to enjoy the good food. 

( Credits to Anes ) 

Traditional Games

There are also some other traditional games that were being played in the past but due to the technology and also the progress of the generation, these games are being neglected and forgotten. Let's hope that the traditional of Chuseok can be carried on so that more people will be able to understand the importance and the meaning of Chuseok.

( Credits to 민경 )

Chuseok is all about a festival of gathering with families and friends. People who are working or studying in other cities will take the chance of Chuseok  and return to their hometown and gather together with their families and friends. 

Last but not least, although Chuseok is over, I still wanna wish everyone a happy Chuseok. 
행복하고 풍요로운 한가위되세요!!!