Wealth of entertainment on offer for Chuseok
Two men compete fiercely against each other in arm wrestling. Provided by the National Folk Museum of Korea
four-day holiday is associated with the start of the fall movie season, with a slew of new arrivals at local theaters, including “The Long Way Home,” “Accidental Detective” and “The Intern.”
As for more traditional forms of entertainment, various organizations such as the National Folk Museum of Korea in Seoul and the Cultural Heritage Administration are holding events for the occasion. The festivities are especially meaningful, as this year marks the country’s 70th anniversary of Liberation Day from Japanese colonial rule (1910-45). Thus, the organizations have arranged a multitude of events that will remind Korean people how their ancestors celebrated Chuseok.
Food, games and more
For this year’s Chuseok holiday, the National Folk Museum of Korea is offering numerous cultural events, ranging from craft activities to Korean food sampling and traditional folk games.
Participants in the craft activities will have the opportunity to create a unique bag with a personalized design. A plain bag will become something special when participants add drawings of folk designs. Other craft activities will include traditional paper folding, making egg wrappers out of straw and even making a Korean traditional instrument called the danso using bamboo.
Those who like competitive events will be especially fond of traditional wrestling events such as arm wrestling and pig wrestling, in which two participants try to push each other in a squatting position.
The event will be held at the museum, located within the grounds of Gyeongbok Palace in downtown Seoul, through Tuesday. All the events begin at 10:30 a.m. Entry fees range from 2,000 won ($1.70) to 7,000 won.
Another experience that the organization is offering is traditional Korean cuisine. Although traditional Korean food is loved by many, both Koreans and foreigners, it is not easy to prepare, since the recipes are complex and time-consuming. Hence, for those who wish to try traditional food while avoiding the hassle, the museum is offering various delicacies such as songpyeon, sikhye (traditional sweet rice beverage) and bbeongtuigi (rice puffs). The event will also present foreign traditional cuisine including Vietnamese spring rolls and Japanese ohagi (rice ball cakes filled with sweet azuki beans).
Musicians perform at a concert using traditional instruments. Provided by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
For more information about the events above, visit www.nfm.go.kr. Those interested in attending need to sign up in advance through the website.
Another notable Chuseok cultural activity, which is being hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration, is traditional folk games. From Saturday to Tuesday, diverse activities such as jegichagi (playing shuttlecock with the feet), tuho (throwing arrows in a basket) and yut (traditional board game) can be enjoyed in the square in front of the main building of the royal tomb of King Sejong the Great in Yeoju, Gyeonggi. Similar traditional games will also be available at Hyeonchungsa Shrine in Asan, South Chungcheong, through Monday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. For details, visit www.cha.go.kr.
The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art is taking a different approach in delivering traditional Korean culture. The organization has planned a free screening of a movie titled “A Hometown in Heart” (1949) at Deoksu Palace, central Seoul, on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The film revolves around a widow and a child monk who grew up in temple after being abandoned by his mother. The movie is considered by many to be a masterpiece of the late 1940s, as it delicately portrays the emotions of characters.
To attend the event, advance reservations are needed. Reservations can be made until Wednesday at www.mmca.go.kr. The movie screening is free of charge, yet attendees need to pay 1,000 won for the Deoksu Palace’s entrance fee.
Traditional performances
In addition to the events mentioned above, the National Folk Museum of Korea has also prepared special performances to celebrate Chuseok. The nine types of performances being offered include samulnori (Korean traditional percussion performance), marionette shows and plate-spinning. Besides Korean performance styles, there will also be a traditional Peruvian music performance.
The diverse demonstrations will continue through Wednesday, and the shows can be enjoyed for free. The start times for the shows vary, with the first one beginning each day at 12 p.m., while the last show will start at 6 p.m.
A group of women demonstrates the traditional Korean music performance nongak. Provided by Lotte World
“Hangawi Dunggeundal” will take place at 8 p.m. on Saturday and 4 p.m. on Sunday at the National Gugak Center in Seocho-dong, southern Seoul. For details, go to www.gugak.go.kr.
The Cultural Heritage Administration is similarly offering gugak (traditional Korean music) performances. The show, which will run through Monday, will take place at the Jeonggwanheon Pavilion at Deoksu Palace from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Another music presentation is also taking place at Hamnyeongjeon Hall at Deoksu Palace. Participants will get a chance to listen to music that reinterprets traditional music into modern sounds, in a performance which will be held at 5:30 p.m. through Sunday. The entrance fee for Deoksu Palace is 1,000 won but the performances can be enjoyed for no additional cost. Call 02-751-0740 for more information.
The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art is also hosting music concert. The organization aims to heal the ills of modern life with the beautiful sounds of Korean traditional instruments such as the gayageum (traditional zither), geomungo (six-stringed zither) and daegeum (horizontal bamboo flute). The free event will take place on Tuesday at 3 p.m. and Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the museum’s branch in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi. For more information, visit www.mmca.go.kr.
Another performance will take place at one of Korea’s most well-known theme parks, Lotte World. A nongak (farmers’ music) parade led by female musicians will entertain spectators. To generate more excitement, the theme park has invited around 100 celebrities so that ordinary citizens can join with TV personalities for an extra-large ganggangsullae, holding hands while praying for their wishes. In addition, Lotte World is giving a special price discount. Anyone who enters the park after 4 p.m. will only have to pay 18,000 won compared to the usual price of 38,000. Go to www.lotteworld.com for further information.
Modern treats
Other than traditional entertainment, the options extend to modern performances such as musicals. The website yes24.co.kr is offering discounted prices for popular musicals for those Seoulites who can’t leave town to enjoy Chuseok with their families. A few of the musicals include “Dlib Girls,” starring renowned female comedians Ahn Young-mi, Hu An-na and Park Na-rae, and “Brothers Were Brave,” featuring celebrities Jung Jun-ha, Yoon Hee-seok and Choi Yu-ha. While the former is available at a 30 percent discount, the latter features a 40 percent discount. The sale tickets can be purchased until Monday.
The newly opened Grevin Museum in Euljiro, central Seoul, is also trying to attract those people remaining in Seoul during the Chuseok holiday with diverse events. For example, anyone who visits the museum, which exhibits waxworks of public and historical figures, will be able to take photos at a photo zone while trying on hanbok (Korean traditional clothing). The museum is also offering a price promotion. While the usual entrance fee is 23,000 won for adults, during the holiday period those who buy an adult entry ticket will get free entry for an adolescent or a child. Also known as the Musee Grevin, the Grevin Museum was first founded in Paris in 1883. For more information, visit www.grevin-seoul.com.
By Jin Min-ji [jin.minji@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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