Chuseok Holiday
Overview
Chuseok (추석, 秋夕), also called Hangawi (한가위), is Korea's representative holiday, falling on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. The Chuseok holiday period refers to the statutory public holidays connected around the day of Chuseok itself, and it is a time when the "great national migration" of tens of millions traveling to their hometowns, along with ancestral rites (charye, 차례), grave visits (seongmyo, 성묘), and gift-giving culture all converge. Along with Seollal (설날), it is counted among Korea's two major holiday periods, and it has wide-ranging effects across society, the economy, and transportation.
Key Details
Origins and Meaning of the Holiday
The most widely known theory is that Chuseok originated from Silla's Gaba (嘉俳), and through Goryeo and Joseon it became established as a holiday for giving thanks for the year's harvest and paying respects to ancestors. As the proverb "Be it more or be it less, let it be like Hangawi" suggests, it is regarded as a symbol of abundance and sharing.
Statutory Public Holidays and Holiday Structure
Under the "Regulations on Public Holidays of Government Offices," three days—the day before Chuseok, the day of Chuseok, and the day after Chuseok—are designated as public holidays. When these coincide with weekends and other public holidays, the holiday period expands significantly, and when they overlap with other public holidays such as Sundays, a substitute holiday is applied. In 2024, the day before Chuseok fell on a Sunday (September 15), so holidays continued through the day after Chuseok (September 18); in 2025, Chuseok falls on Monday, October 6, with the preceding day being a Sunday, so a substitute holiday was designated and the holiday period was extended.
Seasonal Customs and Charye
On the morning of Chuseok, it is traditional to hold charye honoring ancestors and to visit graves for seongmyo and beolcho (벌초, trimming the grass on graves). Depending on the region, folk games such as ganggangsullae (강강술래), ssireum (씨름), tug-of-war, and somoeginori (소먹이놀이) were also performed, though in recent years there is a clear tendency toward simpler, family-centered gatherings.
Food and Gifts
Songpyeon (송편) is the food most representative of Chuseok, made from the new grain harvest and shaped like a half-moon. In addition, taro soup, galbijjim, japchae, jeon, sinseollo, and fresh fruits are placed on the charye table. Representative holiday gifts include Hanwoo beef, fruit, health functional foods, and red ginseng sets, and recently these have diversified to include ready-to-eat meals, digital devices, and travel vouchers.
Homeward and Return Travel and Transportation
During the Chuseok holiday, large-scale population movement occurs nationwide, and highway congestion can last up to tens of hours. KTX, SRT, express bus, and airline tickets often sell out immediately after booking opens, and the government establishes special holiday transportation measures, operating extra trains and buses and providing highway toll discounts. Recently, departing at dawn, using detour routes, and using public transportation have been recommended.
Economic Ripple Effects
Sales at department stores, large marts, and traditional markets record the highest levels of the year, and consumption of local agricultural and fishery products is promoted. On the other hand, side effects such as the burden of charye table costs, holiday syndrome, and labor shortages for small business owners also appear.
Recent Trends
The biggest characteristics of the 2024–2025 Chuseok holidays are the "expansion of days off" and "changes in how the holiday is observed." In 2024, demand for bridge holidays between the Chuseok holiday and National Foundation Day increased, and in 2025, because the Chuseok holiday falls between National Foundation Day (October 3) and Hangeul Day (October 9), consecutive holidays of up to seven days or more became possible. Accordingly, overseas travel and domestic accommodation bookings are surging, while traditional homeward travel demand is on a somewhat declining trend.
In addition, changes in lifestyle are reflected, such as simplified charye, online grave visits and memorials, increases in travel with pets, and the popularity of small-portion gift sets targeting single-person households. The government and local governments are seeking to revitalize local economies through refunds of Onnuri gift certificates at traditional markets, expansion of local love gift certificates, and events linked to the hometown love donation system, and discussions continue on expanding substitute holidays and flexible leave systems.
Related Topics
- [[Seollal Holiday]]
- [[Substitute Holiday]]
- [[Songpyeon]]
- [[Charye]]
- [[Public Holiday]]
- [[Great National Migration]]
- [[Hometown Love Donation System]]