Chuseok (추석), often referred to as Korea’s version of the Mid-Autumn Festival in China, is one of the largest celebrations in South Korea. The festival occurs on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month each year and is legally recognized as a three-day holiday, including the day before and after. In 2025, however, Chuseok in Korea coincided with National Foundation Day (October 3rd) and Hangeul Day (October 9th), allowing many Koreans to take additional days off and enjoy an extended break of up to ten days. As a result, more Koreans spent the holidays at home, traveling, or engaging in other leisure activities instead of visiting their hometowns or holding ancestral ceremonies as was common in the past.
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Chuseok is becoming less about ancestral ceremonies and more about leisure
Chuseok has historically been a time for families to come together, show gratitude for the harvest, and pay respects to their ancestors. Families pay visits to ancestral graves, prepare a table full of food, make a formal bow of gratitude, and enjoy food together. They also play traditional folk games. According to a survey released on October 3rd by the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), only 40% of 1,000 respondents said they set up an ancestral table in 2025 – a significant drop from 74.4% in 2016.
With rapid modernization, it has become more common for people to either visit family, stay home, or travel. Resources such as food and clothing are no longer scarce, and mobile phones ease communication. The wide practice of gift-giving in South Korea during the holiday, for example, can now be easily done through digital platforms like KakaoTalk Gift, without visiting in person.
Source: KakaoTalk Gift, Chuseok gift products
Visiting family remains prevalent, but is less common than before
Visiting one’s hometown and families is still the most common way to celebrate Chuseok. Families visit either the paternal or maternal grandparents’ side. Since the destinations are usually far away and expressways are toll-free during the holiday, it’s not surprising to see traffic jams.
Gift-giving is an important part of Chuseok. People don’t only give gifts to their relatives but to their friends, colleagues, and other people in their community. Similar to 2024, among the top gifts in 2025 were fresh fruits and beef. While domestic fruits such as apples, persimmons, and grapes, remained popular, demand for imported fruits such as bananas, oranges, and kiwis increased.
Additionally, it is also becoming more common to give non-food items, including beauty items, household supplies, luxury products, as well as experiential gifts. This is particularly the case among the MZ Generation, who are giving gifts that reflect the recipient’s lifestyle, preferences, and emotional connection. Such examples include skincare tailored to skin type, massaging devices, and wellness classes rather than the traditional fruits, beef, and red ginseng long associated with the holiday.
Chuseok is becoming less of a family holiday
Instead of visiting their families, Koreans are spending Chuseok in more varied ways. They are getting involved in activities that prioritize personal desires, rest, and self-care. According to Shinhan Card’s Big Data Lab, from 2022 to 2025, card spending increased in the travel, dining, beauty, and wellness categories.
Short- and long-distance travel rose during the holiday
Many people, particularly among the young generation, spent Chuseok traveling or engaging in leisure activities. According to a 2025 report by travel booking platform Klook on October 6th, many Koreans traveled to Asia, with Japan ranking first, followed by Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. Moreover, given that Chuseok was longer than previous years, bookings to more distant destinations such as the Americas (+21% YoY) and Europe (+35% YoY) increased.
Source: Naver Blog @diyoungishere, Blogger shares her travel recommendations for long Chuseok holiday
“Honchu” people focused time and spending on themselves
The number of “Honchu” (혼추) individuals, those who spend the holidays alone, is on the rise. The rise of single-person households – over 40% of all households in 2025 – along with the growing non-marriage and low-birth lifestyles, is changing how people spend their time during the holiday. According to a survey by Consumer Public Interest Network, the average per-person spending rose by 27% year-over-year to about KRW 710,000, and much of it was spent on self-care and leisure rather than traditional ceremonies. For example, there was a growth in spending on fitness, skincare, and dermatology treatments, suggesting that people are using Chuseok to destress and recharge.
Many solos also used the break for self-development or to take on side jobs. Some studied for certifications or visited study cafés to prepare for jobs, while others took part-time jobs at delivery centers, pet care centers, and events for extra income.
Traditional Chuseok staples show polarization: practicality vs. luxury
Consumer spending on gifts such as meat and fruit showed polarization. According to Lotte ON, affordable food sets priced between KRW 20,000 and 30,000 made up half of the top ten most popular gifts, while premium Korean beef sets costing over KRW 100,000 also ranked in the top ten selections.
In response, hypermarkets such as E-mart, Homeplus, and Lotte Mart focused on value-for-money gift sets. At Emart, for example, its top-selling Chuseok pre-order gift was a KRW 49,000 domestic apple set. On the other hand, department stores offered greater product variety and exclusivity. Lotte Department Store sold limited-edition Mudeungsan Watermelons, a rare fruit with only 2,000 of them produced by seven farms and available for only two months in 2025.
Source: Youth Daily, Lotte Mart offered Mudeungsan Watermelons, an exceptionally rare fruit, with only 2,000 of them shipped from seven farms
How Koreans spent Chuseok in 2025
- Chuseok is shifting away from family-centered traditions toward more individual-oriented celebrations. Koreans engaged less in ancestral ceremonies and family visits and spent the holiday at home, traveling, or engaging in leisure activities.
- Given that Chuseok was longer than in previous years, more people traveled to long-distance destinations such as the Americas and Europe. Top short-distance outbound destinations included Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
- Gifting, a prevalent practice during the holiday, can be conveniently done through digital platforms like KakaoTalk Gift. This means people don’t need to make direct visits for gifts, and gift options are more diverse. It is not only the traditional gifts like fruits, beef, and ginseng, but also products and experiences like skincare and wellness classes.
