How are modern people enjoying Chuseok differently from the past?

Chuseok, also called Korean Thanksgiving, is one of the most famous traditional Korean holidays. It is a major three-day harvest festival in Korea, celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, where every family member gathers together and celebrates it. However, as time passed, nowadays there aren’t many families who still follow the traditional way of celebrating it. Even some people stay at their house rather than visiting their hometown. There are many differences between how modern families celebrate Chuseok and how families in the past celebrated it.

In the past, Chuseok was a vibrant harvest celebration filled with rituals, games, foods, and energy. It was not just a simple day to thank for the harvest, but a festival to pray for a plentiful year. Families dressed in hanbok, a Korean traditional cloth, in order to show respect to elders and dress nicely before meeting their relatives. Under the bright full moon, people gathered together for ganggangsullae, making a circle and dancing around, singing, and miming village life. A Korean traditional wrestling match called ssireum was also one of the highlights. People gathered around to watch this match and cheered for their local champion. Also, families made ssongpyeon, a half-moon rice cake filled with sweet ingredients, together. They believed that making pretty ssongpyeon will give you pretty children. By making this, they were able to prepare a charye(ancestral rite) table. People usually arrange a charye table with foods such as kimchi, ssongpyoen, fruits, jeok(roasted meat, fish), and rice wine. By doing this, people showed respect to their ancestors and wished for blessings in the coming year. Together, these costumes created a holiday deeply tied to Korea’s agricultural and spiritual life.

Today, Chuseok looks different from these traditional customs. Even though many families visit their hometown, only a few families follow the rituals that their ancestors have established. Since the charye table required quite a high effort from several people, it is often simplified or replaced by pre-made food, or some families go out to a restaurant rather than cooking at home. The games such as ganggangsulle and ssiruem are hard to find played by local people, it is only played in folk festivals or tourist events. Also, hanbok has been replaced by business or casual clothes. Some people even choose to just stay in Seoul or take vacations during Chuseok, not participating in the ‘annual migration’ to the countryside. This change indicates modern people prefer comfort and convenience over hardcore traditions.

Even though many customs of Chuseok are no longer widely practiced and people regard Chuseok as a time to rest or take a vacation, the spirit of the holiday is still alive; it is still a time for families to gather together, share meals, and enjoy time together. It still represents Korea’s cultural roots and the importance of family.

Works Cited

“양산올레 부동산 중개사무소 : 네이버 블로그.” Naver.com, 2025, blog.naver.com/yebuna1/223588314709. Accessed 28 Sept. 2025.

Yoon Min-sik. “Traditions of Chuseok Holidays: How It Was and How It Is - the Korea Herald.” The Korea Herald, 10 Sept. 2022, www.koreaherald.com/article/2954026?utm_source Accessed 28 Sept. 2025.