Korean Job Discussion Forums

Finishy! · Joined: 24 Dec 2006

So, I tentatively made reservations to go to Beijing for Chuseok. (I have until Friday to pay for it). But, one of my Korean co-workers said China is pretty much shut down at that time for the holidays. I thought Chuseok was a Korean holiday??? Is it Chinese, too?? Argh! If that's the case, should I just stay here in Korea? I need to do something for those days and everything else is booked. It's either China or nothing. It's my first Chuseok here, so I have no idea what to expect. Advice needed, please!

MarionG · Joined: 14 Sep 2006

I was there in April, and am going back for Chuseok. So are many of my students, plus their families.

From what I saw in April I can't imagine that Beijing would be "shut down." I may be wrong, but I think your leg may be being pulled...

Marion

CentralCali · Joined: 17 May 2007

Chuseok is the Korean name for the holiday. The Chinese name translates as Eighth Moon or Mid-Autumn Festival, IIRC.

demaratus · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:52 am Post subject:

Chuseok might fall upon the same time as Moon Festival which is a holiday period for Chinese people.

Tjames426 · Joined: 06 Aug 2006

Chuseok is the Korean name for the holiday. The Chinese name translates as Eighth Moon or Mid-Autumn Festival, IIRC.

____

It is like the Lunar New Year Celebration. It is a Chinese Festival. Most of the customs of the holiday flow from the Chinese.

Other Asian cultures have adopted it and celebrate it.

There is nothing specifically Korean about it, apart from changes the Koreans have made in order to deny a Chinese connection.

Personally, I have found the Chinese Festival celebrations a great more meaningful.

heydelores · Joined: 24 Apr 2006

Anyone know if it's celebrated in Japan, too? I had made tentative plans to go to Japan with friends, but now they're telling me everything will be closed there, too.

heydelores · Joined: 24 Apr 2006

Anyone know if it's celebrated in Japan, too? I had made tentative plans to go to Japan with friends, but now they're telling me everything will be closed there, too.

valkerie · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Location: Busan

Nope, not unless something is going on in China town/Korean area.

Our big 'close down' time is coming up this month, 'Obon'.

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

Neither China nor Japan are closed down. I lived in both. I went to China last Chuseok again last year. No problem at all.

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

Lao is right. ONLY Korean people celebrate it to the extent that they do - it's the biggest holiday here.

In China, they get a day, or two off, and that's it.

In Hong Kong, they get the day-after off, cos they let people celebrate until late night on the day. Schools, however, do give a week off.

It was quite amusing for me when I first came to Korea to see the emphasis placed on Chuseok. I couldn't and still can't see why.

Oh and I should point out that the people who get a day off are office workers. So it's a bank holiday rather than a public holiday - meaning that shops and restaurants stay open.

buster brown · Joined: 26 Aug 2005 Location: Seoul

If you're going to China, you should avoid the Lunar New Year, the week of May 1st, and the week of October 1st. During those times you'll be traveling along with roughly 500 million Chinese. Otherwise you're pretty much okay. Everyone who's lived in China has some kind of horror story about traveling at peak time.

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

sheba · Joined: 16 May 2005 Location: Here there and everywhere!

I went to China during Chuseok last year (Shanghai, Xian and Beijing)..... no problems at all - except the masses of people at all the tourist sights.