During Chuseok, one of the biggest holidays in Korea, many leave the city to visit families and relatives. With less people and less cars, Seoul becomes relatively empty. However, there is no reason that you need to be bored or lonely in the city, as there are a number of unique and also traditional ways to celebrate the holiday. Check out our list and start creating your Chuseok schedule.
Historic sites to visit
Did you know...
Songpyeon is not only for Chuseok
Though associated with the fall holiday of Chuseok, songpeyon (half moon-shaped rice cake) was originally eaten more during the month of February, the beginning of farming season in Korea. Distributed to cheer up the farmhands, songpyeon was even called “servant songpyeon” or “maturation tteok (cake).” But a more fantastical tale can be found in Samguk Sagi (The Chronicles of the three States). In the story, the last king of Baekje spotted a turtle one night with a message inscribed on its shell that read, “Baekje is like a full moon, while Shilla is like a crescent moon.” He brought in a shaman to ask the meaning of the message, who explained, “the full moon means overflowing and declining, and the crescent moon means becoming full in the coming years.” From then on, people started making songpyeong in the half-moon shape. However, many are more drawn to the juicier story of how Joseon scholars considered the perfect circle obscene, and that’s how they decided on its shape today.
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