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- Charye — ancestral memorial rites and family reunions: The heart of Chuseok is the formal family ritual where generations set a special table, offer food to ancestors and eat together. It’s equal parts solemn and homey — if you want to feel the holiday’s meaning, there’s nothing like sitting through the ritual and then sharing the food and stories with relatives.
- Songpyeon and seasonal harvest foods: These half-moon rice cakes are Chuseok’s edible symbol — making, filling and steaming songpyeon is a hands-on way to join the festival. Regional fillings, backyard chestnuts and piles of freshly picked fruits make the food scene distinctly seasonal and oddly comforting.
- Seongmyo & beolcho — visiting and tending ancestral graves: Families travel to tidy gravesites, sweep, offer food and
- Charye — ancestral memorial rites and family reunions: The heart of Chuseok is the formal family ritual where generations set a special table, offer food to ancestors and eat together. It’s equal parts solemn and homey — if you want to feel the holiday’s meaning, there’s nothing like sitting through the ritual and then sharing the food and stories with relatives.
- Songpyeon and seasonal harvest foods: These half-moon rice cakes are Chuseok’s edible symbol — making, filling and steaming songpyeon is a hands-on way to join the festival. Regional fillings, backyard chestnuts and piles of freshly picked fruits make the food scene distinctly seasonal and oddly comforting.
- Seongmyo & beolcho — visiting and tending ancestral graves: Families travel to tidy gravesites, sweep, offer food and bow; it’s the practical, earthy side of giving thanks for the harvest. The quiet fieldwork and ritual bows provide a powerful connection to family history and the land.
- Folk performances and participatory games: Think raw pansori singing, drumming (samulnori), tightrope walkers and the famous Ganggangsullae circle dance — many events invite spectators to join in. The performances are communal and unpolished in the best way: you’ll see locals laughing, dancing and dragging visitors into the fun.
- Folk villages, markets and the holiday atmosphere: Places like traditional villages and weekend markets hum with Chuseok-only programs — folk craft demos, food stalls, hanbok rental photo ops and big gift-box displays. Combine that with the nationwide exodus home and you get a slower, more communal Korea that’s easy to soak up whether you’re browsing a market or learning to make a craft.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.