Both residents and visitors alike can look forward to many special deals this Chuseok holiday season. Pictured are a group of Korean.net honorary reporters wearing traditional Hanbok attire and trying their hand at tuho, a traditional arrow-throwing game, in December 2016. (Korea.net DB)
By Min Yea-Ji and Lee Hana
The upcoming Chuseok Mid-Autumn Harvest Festival is one of Korea’s most important holidays, along with Seollal Lunar New Year’s Day.
In past years, Chuseok holidays usually lasted three days on average. This year, however, several other public holidays have landed before and after Chuseok, including National Foundation Day on Oct. 3 and Hangeul Day on Oct. 9. The result? Ten full days of rest for the entire country.
For people who will spend this time travelling home to see family, 10 days may feel short. For others who have decided to spend the holiday in Seoul, though, they may find a 10-day holiday too lonesome or uneventful.
Below is a helpful guideline for the latter group that will remain in the Seoul metropolitan area for the holidays. There are more things to do during the city’s downtime than you might suspect, and at discounted rates, no less.
For those looking for some adventure, we recommended a day-trip to the amusement park. Everland and Caribbean Bay, a theme and water park located in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do Province, will give a 50 percent discount on entrance tickets to non-citizen residents living in Korea. The Seoul Land amusement park in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do Province, will offer a similar deal, with a 30 percent discount. Remember to take your national ID card or passport to the ticketing booth.
Those who are into arts and culture can take advantage of free passes to exhibits and cultural sites during the Chuseok holidays, as well. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) will open its exhibition halls in Seoul, Gwacheon and at Deoksugung Palace free of charge. You will also be able to visit the four main palaces –Gyeongbokgung, Deoksugung, Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung — as well as the Jongmyo Shrine and the royal tombs, all free of charge.
The Korea Sale Festa kicks off this year on Sept. 28, right before the Chuseok holidays. (Jeon Han)
Those hoping to get in some shopping are in for a treat. The annual Korea Sale Festa kicks off this year on Sept. 28, offering 20 to 50 percent off some of the trendiest makeup products. Tourists with a Korea Tour Card in hand, available at major airports and convenience stores, can get additional discounts from 126 participating retailers. You can also get a 50 percent discount on shipping fees.
If you’re looking to get away from the city for a few days, we recommend you check out some traditional festivals in Gangwon-do Province, where the upcoming PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will take place. There is the Pyeongchang Zinnia Festival, where you can walk through fields of red and yellow zinnia flowers in full bloom. The annual Jeongseon Arirang Festival celebrates the region’s variation of the folk song “Arirang” through a number of performances and events. The Gangneung Coffee Festival, which showcases the coffee baristas and coffee shops of Gangneung City, offers exhibitions, coffee-making and coffee bean roasting programs.
This holiday season will be the perfect opportunity to explore the hidden gems of the city and other provincial regions. Happy Chuseok!
jesimin@korea.kr
