What Is Chuseok and How Do We Celebrate It?
Owlo and Koko explore Chuseok, the Korean harvest festival, learning about gratitude, traditions, and yummy half-moon rice cakes!
About this story
Owlo and Koko explore Chuseok, the Korean harvest festival, learning about gratitude, traditions, and yummy half-moon rice cakes!
What you'll learn
- Learn what Chuseok is and where it comes from
- Understand what a harvest is
- Discover Korean traditions like songpyeon cakes
- Practice saying thank you for food
Owlo, look what I found in the school library today! It's a book about a giant glowing full moon.
Oh, that's a beautiful picture, Koko. The moon does look extra big and bright there.
The book says people are dancing under the moon and eating little cakes shaped like half-moons.
Ah, I think you've discovered a very special celebration called Chuseok. It comes from Korea.
Chuseok? That's a fun word to say! But what is Chuseok, Owlo?
Chuseok is a Korean harvest festival, Koko. It's a time to say thank you for food.
A harvest? Is that like when we pick the tomatoes and carrots in our school garden?
Exactly like that! A harvest is when farmers gather the crops they grew all year.
At Chuseok, families thank the earth for giving them rice, fruit, and vegetables to eat.
That makes sense. The moon must be happy to see everyone so thankful!
It happens in autumn, when the moon is at its roundest and brightest of the whole year.
So that's why the moon in my book looked like a big shiny coin!
Yes. Families travel from far away to be together, sometimes for many, many hours.
I would bring a big snack box for a trip that long. Maybe two snack boxes!
That's very wise planning, Koko. And when they arrive, they cook a special treat together.
Ooh, are those the little half-moon cakes from my picture? They look so yummy.
Those are called songpyeon. They're soft rice cakes filled with sweet beans, sesame, or honey.
I want to feel how soft they are! Can we try making them in the school kitchen?
What a wonderful idea. Let's head over and shape some rice cakes ourselves.
This dough is so squishy and cool! I'm pressing a little honey right in the middle.
Perfect. Now fold it like a half-moon and pinch the edges gently to keep it closed.
Mine looks a bit lumpy, but I think it's the cutest lumpy moon cake ever.
It's lovely, Koko. Families make these together, with grandparents, parents, and little ones, all helping.
That sounds cozy. Like how my whole family helps wash dishes after a big dinner.
That's a beautiful comparison. Chuseok is really about family, sharing, and being grateful together.
Do they do anything else fun besides eating? I hope there's something for the kids too.
They do! Some people wear pretty clothes called hanbok and play games under the bright moon.
I bet dancing in a circle under a giant moon feels like being inside a fairy tale.
It really does. And they say thank you to family members who came before them, too.
I love that. Saying thank you makes my heart feel warm and bubbly inside.
Mine too, Koko. Now, can you tell me what you learned about Chuseok today?
Chuseok is a Korean harvest party in autumn, under the biggest, roundest moon of the year!
Families come together, make squishy half-moon cakes called songpyeon, and say thank you for their food.
Next, I want to learn about harvest festivals in other countries. I bet they have yummy snacks too!
I'd love that, Koko. The whole world has wonderful ways of saying thank you for food.
