Chuseok

Chuseok, one of South Korea’s most important traditional holidays, falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunisolar calendar. In 2026, Chuseok Day will be observed on Friday, September 25, with the official holiday period running from September 24 to 26. Often described as Korea’s harvest festival or Korean Thanksgiving, Chuseok is a time to express gratitude for the year’s crops, honor ancestors, and reunite with family.

Chuseok celebrations also include family visits, exchanging gifts, sharing newly harvested produce, and enjoying folk activities such as ganggangsullae circle dancing, wrestling, archery, and traditional games. In contemporary South Korea, the holiday is marked by major domestic travel, crowded transportation hubs, televised cultural programs, and a mixture of ancestral customs and modern family leisure. Common greetings include “즐거운 추석 보내세요” (Have a pleasant Chuseok) and “풍성한 한가위 되세요” (Wishing you a bountiful Chuseok).