K-Food Your guide to K-culture in Singapore!
Korean Guide To : Chuseok!!
- Category Korean food
- Area Tanjong Pagar
- Author KORDOTSIN
- 20-09-18 16:43
- Views 4,579
- reply 0
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You might have seen your favourite
K-Pop stars donning traditional Hanbok
(Korean clothing) for performances on TV!
These are usually special performances
scheduled especially for Korea's most important
holiday celebration : Chuseok!
Known in Singapore as the Mid-Autumn
Festival, Chuseok is a three-day holiday
in Korea, celebrating the harvest season!
That means that Koreans usually travel
to visit their families' homes, worship their
ancestors as well as eat a lot of good food!
Speaking of food, we would like to introduce
to you the food culture that defines Chuseok!
Starting with...
1. Songpyeon
Mooncakes are ubiquitous during our
Mid-Autumn Festival, and the equivalent
during Chuseok is Songpyeon - also known as
Korean Rice Cakes!
This traditional Korean food comes
in many different variations, with each
region of Korea being known for a specific
type of songpyeon depending on what is
most readily available there!
It is said that a person that can make
beautiful songpyeon will have a
beautiful spouse/child!
As if you needed another reason to brush
up on your rice cake-making skills!
Tip : Don't know/can't make a nice
songpyeon? You can simply buy them,
lovingly made in-house by Koreans!
Check out the Walnut Tree and their
delicious Chuseok sets here!
2. Gifts
When visiting relatives, gifts are often
exchanged, which can vary from money
(albeit, not in red envelopes), to more practical
gifts such as shampoo, socks and recently,
even hand sanitizer and facemasks!
These come in gift sets,
but what's especially fascinating is the
food options available!
Spam (luncheon meat) is super popular
in Korea, and is actually perceived as
a somewhat luxury food!
And, of course, there are exquisitely
packaged premium meat gift sets for
the more wealthy folk.
(If you're looking for Korean meats here
in SG, try Seoul Butchery!)
We hope that this gives you a brief
insight into the Chuseok festival in
Korea, and stay safe among the festivities!
Update : The Korea Herald made
a more detailed list for the best
Chuseok gifts, which you can find here!
