Japchae is the Korean dish of stir-fried glass noodles mixed with vegetables and often meat. It is commonly served at Korean celebrations, including Chuseok family meals.
The noodles are usually made from sweet-potato starch and become translucent when cooked. Typical ingredients include spinach, carrots, onions, mushrooms, sesame oil, and soy sauce, although recipes vary. The components may be cooked separately before being combined so that each keeps its texture and color.
Japchae is not exclusively a Chuseok dish. It is also popular at birthdays, weddings, holidays, and other gatherings. That distinction matters because Chuseok menus differ between households and regions. Japchae is best understood as a celebratory Korean dish that commonly appears on a broad holiday table, alongside foods such as jeon, galbijjim, fruit, and songpyeon.