Korean Chuseok Customs and Etiquette

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The origin of Chuseok (Hangawi, Jungchujeol)
Chuseok falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month and is also called Hangawi or Jungchujeol. "Hangawi" combines "han," meaning "great," and "gawi," meaning "middle," carrying the meaning of a great day at the middle of the 8th lunar month, and it originated from the custom of holding an ancestral rite (charye) in gratitude for a year's harvest safely completed.
The meaning of making and eating songpyeon
At Chuseok, people make and eat songpyeon (half-moon-shaped rice cakes) using freshly harvested rice from that year; several theories exist about why they are shaped like a half-moon, including a story from the Baekje era that a fortune-teller saw an auspicious sign of future abundance in a half-moon shape. The process itself of the whole family gathering around to make songpyeon together has continued as a custom wishing for abundance and harmony.
The customs of charye and grave visits (seongmyo)
On Chuseok morning, families hold a charye (ancestral rite) with newly harvested grain and fruit to thank their ancestors for the fruits of that year's harvest, and afterward visit ancestral graves to trim the grass and pay their respects (seongmyo). Charye and seongmyo are the core customs of Chuseok, and they remain the main reason for the traditional mass travel home during the holiday even today.
Traditional games like ganggangsullae
Ganggangsullae is a game in which women hold hands and dance in a circle while singing on the night of Chuseok, carrying the meaning of wishing for abundance and well-being; it was designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009. Other games, such as ssireum (Korean wrestling) and tug-of-war, are also passed down as Chuseok seasonal customs.
Chuseok gift etiquette
At Chuseok, it is customary to send thoughtful gifts to people who have helped you or to elders, with practical items such as fruit, meat, and health foods traditionally preferred. When choosing a gift, proper etiquette calls for considering the recipient's health and family composition, and expressing sincerity without being overly extravagant.
Chuseok greeting etiquette
Common Chuseok greetings include "Have a bountiful Hangawi" and "Have a good Hangawi," and expressions wishing for abundance, like the saying "may it always be like Hangawi," are also widely used. For those unable to travel home for the holiday, proper etiquette is to convey well-wishes and holiday greetings by phone or message.

Why do people say "may it always be like Hangawi"?

Chuseok is a holiday for giving thanks for and sharing the fruits of a year's harvest with ancestors and neighbors, and is a representative Korean holiday symbolizing abundance. As in the old saying, "may it be neither more nor less, just like Hangawi," Chuseok is a day carrying a wish for abundance and harmony.

How is the Chuseok charye different from jesa?

If you're curious about the charye held on Chuseok morning, take a look at our guide to how to perform jesa (ancestral rites), which covers everything from the difference with a death-anniversary rite (gijesa) to table-setting principles in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do people always visit ancestral graves (seongmyo) at Chuseok?

Seongmyo is the custom of tending to ancestral graves and paying respects, carrying the meaning of giving thanks, attributing the year's harvest to one's ancestors — this has made it one of the core customs of Chuseok.

Does songpyeon have to be shaped like a half-moon?

Traditionally, the half-moon shape is common, but in recent years, songpyeon comes in a variety of colors and shapes, varying somewhat by region and family.