Chuseok 2021
- Oct 2, 2021
- 1 min read
By Hanbin Lee and Ihan Do
Chuseok, also known as Hangawi, or Korean Thanksgiving, is a major harvest festival alike to the Seollal(https://kahssva.wixsite.com/khfss/post/korean-new-years-2021), whereas families and relatives come together and spend three days together; yet, Chuseok is the largest celebration.
Families and relatives gather at their ancestral home on the 15th of August according to the lunar calendar, which is a harvest season. Therefore, a rich amount of food is prepared to serve the guests more than fully.
Koreans celebrate Chuseok by making many different foods. One food in particular that is traditional to Chuseok is known as Songpyeon. Songpyeon is a type of rice cake and is typically filled with various ingredients such as sesame seeds, chestnuts, red beans, and others. The day before Chuseok, families typically gather and make Songpyeon together as a tradition.
Another, more modern, Chuseok tradition is gift-giving. Koreans will give gifts to people in their life such as family, friends, co-workers, and others to show their appreciation. A variety of gifts are typically offered, such as fruit, shampoo, and snacks. A very popular gift is spam ham.
Another tradition is where families gather to hold memorial services in honor of their ancestors known as Charye. Charye is typically held twice a year, on Chuseok and on Korean New Years known as Seollal. During Charye, items such as rice, alcohol, and the previously mentioned Songpyeon are offered to the family’s ancestors.
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