Credit: Public domain.
Not long ago, Chuseok 추석 - Korea’s most significant holiday, along with Lunar New Year 설날 - was synonymous with a hometown visit, to hold the traditional ritual for ancestors and tend to their graves. But in recent years, it has increasingly become an opportunity for an autumn vacation. This year’s Chuseok is particularly enticing for international travelers, as it is a five-day holiday including the weekend. According to the Incheon International Airport Corporation 인천국제공항공사, more than 1.2m people will use Seoul’s main airport in the six days from September 13 to 18.
But not everyone is in a spending mood. In a survey asking for the burdens of Chuseok, 52% said the cost of gifts for parents and relatives were a significant burden. Another 22% - mostly women - said preparation of food was a hassle.