Before Chuseok
Overview
'Before Chuseok' is an expression referring to the period a few days to a few weeks before Chuseok (Hangawi), which falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. During this period, homecoming, ancestral grave visits, grave clearing, gift purchases, and preparations for ancestral rites all converge simultaneously, producing significant social ripple effects across transportation, distribution, prices, and family culture as a whole. Beyond a simple expression of timing, it is used as a keyword that compactly reveals the holiday economy and intergenerational culture of Korean society.
Main Content
Origin and Meaning of Chuseok
It is widely known that Chuseok originated from Gabae (嘉俳) during the reign of King Yuri of Silla, and it is a holiday combined with the custom of giving thanks for the year's harvest. The 15th day of the 8th lunar month is when the full moon is brightest, and it carries strong symbolism of abundance, gratitude, and family unity. During the Joseon Dynasty, holding ancestral rites and visiting ancestral graves became established as important etiquette.
Representative Phenomena Before Chuseok
- Great national migration: Expressway congestion and competition for KTX, airline tickets, and bus reservations begin, giving rise to the phrase 'homecoming war.'
- Grave clearing and ancestral grave visits: Demand for clearing mountain graves concentrates in the one to two weeks before Chuseok, and grass trimmers and grave-clearing proxy services enter their peak season.
- Gift set competition: Department stores, large marts, and e-commerce companies compete to release gift sets such as Korean beef, fruit, health foods, and liquor.
- Preparing the ancestral rite table: Purchases of ingredients for ancestral rites such as namul, songpyeon, jeon, and jeok surge, making traditional markets and marts crowded.
- Homecoming gifts and spending money: The burden of preparing gifts and cash gifts grows across generations, and discussions of 'holiday stress' are repeated.
Economic Impact
Before Chuseok is a representative holiday special period in which consumption concentrates over a short time. Prices of agricultural, livestock, and fishery products, parcel delivery volumes, and distribution industry sales all fluctuate at once, and the government announces measures to supply holiday staples and stabilize prices. On the other hand, small business owners and traditional markets enjoy a peak season, but as demand is dispersed to online channels and large retailers, the perceived economic conditions often differ. Holiday bonuses, card spending, and spending on agricultural and fishery product gifts are also mentioned as major economic indicators during this period.
Cultural Aspects
Before Chuseok is also a cultural period in which relationships among family and relatives are reorganized. Traditionally, seasonal customs such as Ganggangsullae, ssireum, tug-of-war, and making songpyeon were passed down; in modern times, new forms of holiday culture are spreading, including easy holiday foods, meal kits, hotel Chuseok packages, and pet-friendly homecoming. In addition, 'holiday syndrome' caused by questions about marriage, employment, and childbirth, as well as the issue of sharing housework, continue to be social topics.
Latest Trends
The trends before Chuseok in 2024–2025 show the following characteristics.
1. Holiday structure and golden holidays: Chuseok in 2024 fell in mid-September, and Chuseok in 2025 falls in early October, interlocking with National Foundation Day and Hangul Day, respectively, so long and short holidays alternated. As a result, demand for overseas travel and domestic travel diverged at the same time.
2. Online gifts and simple payments: Non-face-to-face holiday consumption has taken hold, including mobile gifting, same-day delivery, and expanded use of local currency and Onnuri gift certificates.
3. Prices and grocery burden: As price volatility for fruits such as apples and pears and for Korean beef increased, 'value-for-money gift sets,' small packages, and practical ancestral rite tables drew attention.
4. AI and holiday services: Generative AI-based ancestral rite table composition recommendations, optimal route guidance for ancestral grave visits, and grave-clearing and cleaning matching platforms have appeared.
5. Low birth rate, aging, and the reorganization of holidays: As family sizes shrink, more households simplify or skip ancestral rites, and 'honchujok' (people spending Chuseok alone) and pet-centered holiday culture have spread.
6. Impact of climate change: Abnormal high temperatures and heavy rainfall have shaken grave-clearing schedules and agricultural shipment schedules, increasing volatility in the supply and demand of holiday staples.
Related Topics
- [[Chuseok]]
- [[Hangawi]]
- [[Homecoming]]
- [[Ancestral grave visit]]
- [[Grave clearing]]
- [[Charye table]]
- [[Holiday syndrome]]
- [[Great national migration]]
- [[Gift sets]]
- [[Seasonal customs]]