Chuseok Is Not Korean Thanksgiving
On November 24th, people in the U.S. will celebrate Thanksgiving Day.
In Korea, it is common to hear people say that Chuseok is “Korean Thanksgiving.”
But this is not true. In fact, the two holidays are more different than alike.
To start with, American Thanksgiving is observed on the last Thursday of November.
In contrast, Koreans celebrate Chuseok exactly the 15th day of the eighth Lunar month, which usually comes in September or early October.
The holidays also have different histories. According to experts, the first American Thanksgiving took place in 1621, when early settlers prayed for the fall harvest.
However, Chuseok probably started nearly 2,000 years ago as a festival with friendly contests.
It too was a time for celebrating harvests.
Americans traditionally eat turkey on Thanksgiving, while Koreans enjoy a feast of beef short ribs, songpyeon rice cakes, and many side dishes during Chuseok.