Chuseok (Harvest Festival) Description
Chuseok (추석), also known as Hangawi, is the Korean harvest festival and the most important traditional holiday alongside Seollal. In 2026, Chuseok falls on Thursday, September 24th, with the holiday spanning September 24-26 (Thursday through Saturday), creating a three-day public holiday. The festival is rooted in agrarian traditions of giving thanks for the autumn harvest. Koreans travel to their ancestral hometowns to perform charye (ancestral rites) and seongmyo (visiting ancestral graves to clear weeds — beolcho). The iconic food is songpyeon (half-moon-shaped rice cakes steamed on pine needles), which families prepare together. Other traditions include ganggangsullae (a circle dance under the full moon), ssireum (traditional wrestling), and wearing hanbok. Like Seollal, Chuseok triggers a massive national migration — KTX, express buses, and flights are booked months in advance, and highways see extreme congestion. The government typically designates specific heavy-traffic days with real-time road condition updates. Government offices, banks, schools, and many businesses close. Major tourist sites, palaces, and museums often offer free admission or special Chuseok programs.
