ChuSok-Korean Thanksgiving day

The Harvest Moon, Chusok 추석 is the autumn full moon day that falls on the 15th day of the eighth month by the lunar calendar, usually some time in September by the Gregorian calendar. It's on September 25th this year. Since its right after a weekend, most of the people enjoy 4~5 days of long holidays.
As this date marks harvest time, it is regarded as a Thanksgiving Day in Korea, and is celebrated almost as enthusiastically as New Year's Day. Media is constantly reporting traffic info, as highways, airports and train stations are full of people visiting their hometowns. People visit the graves of their ancestors, and they cook using the first fruits and crops of the year.


Songpyeon 송편 is a typical dish. It is a pine flavored rice cake stuffed with chestnuts, sesame, or beans. Usually whole family sit together to make songpyeon, oftern days before. Several games are commonly played including tug of war and the Korean round dance.