The Korean rice cake made from newly harvested rice for Chuseok is songpyeon.
Songpyeon is a half-moon-shaped tteok prepared especially for the autumn holiday. The dough is traditionally made from rice flour, and fillings may include sesame seeds, beans, chestnuts, or sweetened ingredients. The cakes are steamed over pine needles, which helps explain the word’s association with pine trees.
Songpyeon is strongly connected with Chuseok, although recipes and shapes vary throughout Korea. Families often prepare it together, making the dish part of the holiday’s cooking and gathering traditions rather than merely a purchased dessert.
The rice used for songpyeon is associated with the harvest season, but the cakes do not have one universal filling. This is why questions about a single required filling can be misleading: regional recipes use several different ingredients.