Chuseok 2026 falls Sept 25, holiday period Sept 24-26.
Once a year, Korea effectively pauses. Chuseok -- the country's biggest holiday, often described as Korean Thanksgiving -- falls on September 25, 2026, with the official holiday period running September 24-26. Highways clog with families traveling to ancestral hometowns, and for a few days, Seoul itself empties out even as its traditions take center stage.
Chuseok traces back over a thousand years, tied to the full harvest moon and rooted in gratitude for the year's harvest and remembrance of ancestors. Families gather to perform charye, an ancestral memorial rite, and to share songpyeon -- half-moon-shaped rice cakes filled with sesame, chestnut, or sweet bean.
For visitors, Chuseok in Seoul is a study in contrasts. Many small businesses close for the holiday itself, but the palaces make up for it: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and the other royal palaces typically offer free admission during the Chuseok period, with special traditional performances and moon-viewing events.
Check opening hours before you go -- restaurants and smaller shops are the most likely to close, while major attractions generally stay open with adjusted, often free, admission. Book transportation and hotels in Seoul itself rather than traveling between cities during the holiday window.
SpinQuest's Seoul Streets wheel is a solid companion for a quieter Chuseok visit -- 19 real quests through the city's neighborhoods and landmarks.
Quests on this wheel: 19
Created by @cityexplorer
Made: July 2026
Spin "Seoul Streets" on SpinQuest
Chuseok falls September 25th -- 추석 잘 보내세요 (Happy Chuseok).
#Chuseok 2026 #Korean Thanksgiving #Seoul travel guide