The Korean term “Chuseok” traditionally refers to an autumn evening.
The name is written 秋夕 in hanja, characters that mean “autumn” and “evening.” The expression evokes the bright full-moon night at the center of the eighth lunar month, when the harvest festival is celebrated.
Chuseok is also called Hangawi and has the historical name Jungchujeol, meaning the festival of mid-autumn. These names emphasize the holiday’s position in the season rather than simply describing a modern national holiday.
Although the literal meaning points to an autumn evening, Chuseok is much broader than a single night. Its observances include family travel, ancestral rites, grave care, harvest foods, folk performances, and shared meals across the surrounding holiday period.