Look: Korean Thanksgiving day, Chuseok, celebrated with traditional food, games in Abu Dhabi

Hundreds of community members enjoyed traditional South Korean games and food as part of the Chuseok celebrations held in Abu Dhabi.

Chuseok, Thanksgiving day and a major harvest festival in South Korea, is marked during the largest full moon of the year, September 29 this year. It is the most significant holiday in Korea.

Chuseok is a time to celebrate and give thanks for a bountiful harvest. People make rice cakes, prepare dishes, and offer ancestral rites to express gratitude for their blessings. They also exchange food and share their generosity with one another, fostering a strong sense of community.

Sharing the festive culture and spirit, the Korean Cultural Centre organised a fun-filled event. It was attended not only by Korean expats but also by community members of other nationalities, including Emiratis.

In Korea, where agriculture is a common practice, Chuseok is a traditional holiday celebrated during the most bountiful season, said Ewha Kim, head of the media team at the Korean Cultural Centre.

“It’s a time when people come together to share and enjoy newly harvested foods. Inspired by this tradition of sharing, the Korean Cultural Centre has hosted an event where we can enjoy traditional games together and have the opportunity to share food with people from the UAE.”

Community members engaged in Tuho (arrow-throwing), Yutnori, and jegichagi (shuttlecock game), and had the opportunity to try a variety of Korean traditional foods, including kimchi, japchae (a mixed dish of boiled bean threads, stir-fried vegetables, and shredded meat), songpyeon (half-moon-shaped rice cakes traditionally eaten during Chuseok), namul (Korean seasoned vegetables), and other dishes.

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