It’s that time of year again. The ghouls and ghosts that once haunted our Targets and Macy’s give way to the brief, yet warm period of Thanksgiving decorations. Stores fill with the aroma of sweet pumpkin pie and savory turkey in anticipation for the four-day holiday, celebrated by Americans across the United States. On the other side of the world, however, Koreans have already moved on to Christmas, leaving many scratching their heads. Maybe they’re allergic to turkey, or perhaps Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated over there. The answer is simpler than the theories. The truth is, in Korea, Thanksgiving has already come and gone.
While Americans observe Thanksgiving by the Gregorian calendar, Koreans use a different one for reference — the Lunar calendar. The Gregorian calendar, used in most Western countries, divides the year based on Earth’s rotation around the sun, dividing the journey into twelve different months. While this metric system is generally used around the world for everyday purposes, East Asian countries generally use the lunar calendar for many traditional holidays, Chuseok being one of them.
Unlike the Gregorian calendar, which focuses on Earth’s orbit, the lunar calendar aligns its months with the phases of the moon. Each lunar month spans approximately 29.5 days, which means that a lunar year ends around 11 days earlier than a Gregorian one; each lunar day would be 11 days in advance as well. Koreans use the lunar calendar to tell when their Chuseok is, as the calendar, which aligns months with the moon’s cycles, ensures that these celebrations stay tied to specific seasons and agricultural traditions, something that a Gregorian calendar may not do. Chuseok falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, which is when Koreans believe the moon to be at its fullest.
Traditionally, Chuseok is a harvest festival, a time to give thanks for the abundance of crops and hard work that made the season fruitful. These traditions can be traced back to Korea’s ancient past as a heavily agrarian society, where the survival and prosperity of communities depended on successful harvests.
As a society influenced by Confucianism ideals, Koreans emphasized the importance of harmony through fulfilling your role in society, and revered ancestors and elders with the utmost respect. Thus, many would take the time to thank their elders for a bountiful harvest with rituals, such as offerings of the first crops of the season, newly harvested rice and fruits, symbolizing reverence for the land and ancestral spirits that were believed to have cultivated the soil.
According to legend, an ancient king of the Korean kingdom, Silla, started a month-long weaving contest between two teams of women, originally called Gabae. At the end of the contest, the team that wove the most fabric was treated to a grand feast by the losing side, marking the beginning of what would evolve into a celebration of hard work and harvest, starting the tradition of Chuseok two thousand years ago.
However, scholars believe the festival may have older shamanistic roots tied to ancestral worship and seasonal rituals. Chuseok’s timing, on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, aligns with the full moon, a symbol of prosperity and unity. Over time, these practices transitioned from local harvest rites to nationwide celebrations, reinforcing gratitude, family gatherings, and respect for ancestors — values that remain central to the holiday today.
One of the most integral parts of Chuseok is charye, which is when families gather to pay respects to their ancestors. Families observe this tradition by freshly preparing dishes, such as rice, fruit, and fish. These offerings are carefully arranged into a beautiful table spread, symbolizing gratitude for the ancestors’ protection and blessings.
Songpyeon is one of the many dishes made for charye. Songpyeon is a crescent-shaped rice cake filled with sweetened sesame seeds or red bean paste, offered mostly in colors of pink, green, white, and yellow. Known as the Korean version of turkey on thanksgiving, it is a staple food to every chuseok. Families gather to make these rice cakes together, and there is a special belief that whoever shapes the most beautiful songpyeon will have a beautiful daughter.
The making of songpyeon begins by preparing the dough using rice flour. The rice flour is colored using natural ingredients like mugwort plant for green, pumpkin for yellow, or omija berries for pink. Family members of all ages gather around the table to shape the dough into small discs, fill them with the sweet sesame seeds and red bean paste, and carefully fold them into their signature crescent shape. The filled songpyeon are then steamed over a layer of pine needles, which imparts a subtle, fragrant aroma to the rice cakes. While making songpyeon, families grow closer to each other by catching up on conversations and creating lasting memories together. The finished songpyeon are not only offered as part of the charye ceremony but are enjoyed everywhere, whether as a snack or gift, symbolizing the unity and gratitude central to the Chuseok celebration.
Apart from songpyeon, other holiday delicacies are shared, such as Korean pancakes (jeon), braised meat, and fresh fruit. Koreans participate in games such as jegichagi, a friendly yet difficult game where one takes a jegi, paper wrapped around a circular metal object, and kicks it with the side of their feet, attempting to keep the jegi from the ground as long as possible, similar to hacky sack. Families also celebrate through ganggangsullae, a lively circle dance performed under the full moon, exclusively by women. The performance symbolizes unity, harmony and celebration, in hopes for a bountiful harvest.
Another way Koreans pay respect to their ancestors in chuseok is through seongmyo, where families visit and tend to the graves of their deceased relatives. They clean up the grave, removing weeds that have grown around the area. After, they perform a deep bow to the grave, and share food prepared during chuseok with their ancestors, placing the food in front of the grave. Before families leave, they often pour rice wine or soju, a Korean alcoholic beverage, on the grave to show respect. By pouring out alcohol on the grave, the living are symbolized to have shared a drink with the dead, making a connection between the deceased ancestors and the living family.
Beyond rituals surrounding food and ancestral rites, Chuseok is an important time for families to reconnect, particularly in today’s modern, fast-paced society. For many Korean families, it is one of the few moments in the year when they travel back to their hometowns, making a special effort despite long commutes and heavy traffic. It is a time to reunite with relatives, exchange stories, and have a fun time.
In essence, Chuseok is far more than a harvest festival — it is a time for reflection, connection, and renewal. It allows individuals to pause from their daily routines, reconnect with family, honor traditions, and celebrate life’s blessings, both big and small. Whether it is through sharing a meal, dancing under the moon, or exchanging thoughtful gifts, Chuseok is a vibrant reminder of the enduring importance of community, gratitude, and cultural heritage.
In essence, Chuseok is far more than a harvest festival — it is a time for reflection, connection, and renewal. It allows individuals to pause from their daily routines, reconnect with family, honor traditions, and celebrate life’s blessings, both big and small.