Korea’s biggest holiday is just around the corner! Alongside 설날 (Korean New Year), 추석 is one of the most significant holidays in Korea. It's a time when the entire country seems to be on the move, with highways jam-packed as everyone travels to their hometowns to be with family. For three days, you can expect to eat non-stop, leaving your stomach as jam-packed as the roads.
This year's holiday is especially exciting. Before 추석, we have 개천절 on October 3rd, and three days holiday for 추석 (and because one of the three days holidays falls on Sunday this year, Wednesday became alternative holiday (대체공휴일) this year!) and right after, it's 한글날 on October 9th. If you can snag taking a day off (amidst all the competition with all of your colleagues), you could end up with 10 days of one long, glorious holiday, creating what Koreans call a 황금연휴 or "golden holiday"!
If you can snag a day off on the 10th, you get a 10 day holiday this year!
Today, let's talk about the language and culture surrounding this festive time.
What is 추석?
추석, held on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, is a celebration of the Autumn harvest. The word 추석 (秋夕) literally translates to "autumn evening," referring to the beautiful, bright full moon on this night. It’s also affectionately called 한가위, a native Korean word meaning "the great middle" of Autumn. It’s a time for families to gather, visit their ancestors' graves in a tradition called 성묘, and, of course, eat a bounty of delicious food. After than, families play traditional games like 윷놀이, a popular board game.
추석 Greetings
So, how do you greet people during 추석? Here are a few common phrases. You’ll also see a LOT of these in Kakao Talk emoticons!
So many emoticons....so little time...
Let’s start with:
해피추석
This one’s easy. English “Happy” + 추석!
즐거운 추석 보내세요
This one is the most common and versatile greeting. The word 즐거운 comes from the verb 즐겁다, which means to be joyful, pleasant, or enjoyable. 보내세요 is a polite way of saying "to spend time." So, you are literally wishing someone a pleasant and happy holiday period. For short, you can also just say “즐거운 추석” or “즐추”.
풍성한 한가위 되세요
Let's break this one down:
- 풍성하다 = to be abundant/plentiful/bountiful
- 한가위 = 한 (big, great) + 가위 (center or middle), as mentioned above!
- 되세요 = 되 (become / turn into) + 세요 (please become / have)
So, all in all, this one means "Please have a plentiful/bountiful 추석!"
연휴 잘 보내세요
You can also greet by focusing on the fact its a extended holidays (연휴)! Here, 연휴 잘 보내세요 means "Have a good long holiday!" It’s also common to use with 꿀 (honey) because its so sweet.. the long holidays, making 꿀연휴.
Fun fact: On the above KakaoTalk emoticons, you see a lot of rabbit themed ones for 추석 greeting. (Is it because they all love Daily Tokki?!)
It’s actually because one of the main symbols of 추석 is full moon (보름달), and Koreans think there is a rabbit living on the full moon, making 떡 (Korean rice cakes). Next time, look up the full moon, and you can't unsee this rabbit!
The Flavors of 추석
No Korean holiday is complete without an incredible spread of food, and 추석 is no exception. While some dishes are unique to the holiday, many are beloved staples of any major Korean celebration.
These 명절 음식 (holiday foods) often include:
전: Deliciously savory pan-fried pancakes. They come in many varieties, from kimchi-filled ones to those made with fish, shrimp, or zucchini dipped in an egg batter.
갈비찜: A rich and savory dish of braised beef short ribs. The meat becomes incredibly tender and falls off the bone, simmered in a sweet and savory sauce of soy sauce, garlic, and pear. (Hot tip: the pear is really necessary, it helps tenderize the meat as it cooks! Don't forget it!)
잡채: A colorful dish of glass noodles stir-fried with various vegetables (like spinach, carrots, and onions) and thin strips of meat.
Unarguably, the most symbolic 추석 food, however, is 송편. These are small, half-moon-shaped rice cakes that are steamed over a bed of pine needles, which gives them a wonderfully subtle, fresh aroma. They are typically filled with sweet ingredients like sesame seeds mixed with sugar, chestnuts, or sweetened beans. There's a charming belief that if you make beautifully shaped 송편, you will have a beautiful daughter! So you know if you should have a daughter.. 👶
A Typical Day During 추석
For many families, the morning of 추석 begins with ancestral rites. The two most significant are 차례 and 성묘.
차례 is a formal memorial service held at home. Families set a special table with freshly harvested rice, alcohol, and a variety of foods like fruits, meats, and rice cakes as an offering to their ancestors. They then perform deep bows to show their gratitude and respect. However, 차례 is a very traditional custom rooted in Confucianism. Many modern families have simplified the process or no longer practice it, especially families who are Christian.
More common today is 성묘, which is the act of visiting ancestral graves. Families travel to the gravesites of their ancestors to tidy up, pull weeds (an act called 벌초), and place offerings of food and drink. It is a time to pay respects and honor the family members who have passed on. After these rituals, the entire family gathers to share a massive feast and spend quality time together.
Traditional Fun and Games
After the feast, it's time for some fun! Traditional folk games are a big part of the celebration.
One symbolic tradition for 추석 is 강강술래, a traditional circle dance where women in traditional clothing join hands under the full moon and sing. While beautiful and culturally significant, 강강술래 is rarely performed by families today and is more commonly seen at large-scale folk festivals.
A game that is still widely enjoyed by families is 윷놀이. This is a popular board game where players throw four marked sticks (acting as dice) to determine how their game pieces move around the board. Be warned that this can become incredibly competitive and people will swear they have the technique perfected on how to throw the sticks correctly, only to be beaten by 할머니 casually throwing them on the floor. 😂
해피추석 from us at Daily Tokki!