Quick Read
- K-pop idols celebrated Chuseok 2025 by wearing traditional hanbok and sharing holiday greetings.
- Rain and cloudy weather affected moon viewing across Korea, with only southern regions and Jeju glimpsing the full moon.
- Families adapted rituals indoors, with technology enabling remote greetings.
- Chuseok traditions blend with modern pop culture, reaching global audiences.
K-pop Idols Celebrate Chuseok in Hanbok, Bridging Past and Present
As the autumn air settles over South Korea, the streets and screens are awash with color. Chuseok, often dubbed the Korean Thanksgiving, is more than just a harvest festival—it’s a tapestry of tradition and modernity interwoven. This year, K-pop idols stepped into the spotlight not with dazzling stage costumes but with hanbok, the flowing, vibrant garments that echo centuries of Korean history.
Groups like Newbeat marked their first Chuseok since debut by unveiling photos in differently colored hanbok, each member a living canvas of Korean heritage. The Boyz greeted fans in a heartfelt holiday video, expressing gratitude for their fan club, The B, and wishing everyone joyous family gatherings filled with songpyeon—those sweet, moon-shaped rice cakes that are as much a symbol of Chuseok as the full moon itself. Other artists, including Enhypen, Wonho, Solar, Moonbyul, Purple Kiss, Onewe, DKZ, Oneus, Monsta X, IVE, WJSN, Cravity, KiiiKiii, and IDID, joined in, their photos circulating widely on social media and entertainment news outlets (Korea JoongAng Daily).
For many fans, seeing their favorite stars in hanbok is more than a seasonal gesture—it’s a reminder of the deep roots K-pop shares with Korean culture. The hanbok, with its billowing sleeves and vivid colors, becomes a bridge between generations, inviting younger audiences to connect with rituals that have shaped the Korean peninsula for centuries.
Moonlit Traditions Meet Cloudy Skies: Weather Shapes the Holiday
But Chuseok 2025 was not only about festive attire and family reunions. The nation’s gaze, traditionally fixed on the full moon, shifted this year to the unpredictable autumn skies. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, rain blanketed much of the country as a low-pressure trough swept in from near China’s Shandong Peninsula, bringing moisture to Seoul, Incheon, Gangwon, Chungcheong, Jeolla, Gyeongsang, and Jeju (Chosun Ilbo).
For those hoping to make wishes under the glowing moon, the forecast was bittersweet. The central region, including Seoul, braced for showers and clouds, likely obscuring the lunar spectacle. Only in the southern regions and Jeju did forecasters hold out hope for glimpses of moonlight through the haze. Umbrellas became as common as hanbok on the streets, with both citizens and tourists navigating wet avenues in front of landmarks like Gwanghwamun.
Moonrise times on Chuseok—5:32 p.m. in Seoul, 5:24 p.m. in Gangneung and Busan, and similar across other cities—were anticipated, but for many, the moon would remain a distant silhouette behind the clouds. The weather forecast stretched beyond the holiday, promising more rain for eastern Gangwon and cloudy skies for the rest of the country through the following week.
Families Adapt Rituals: The Essence of Chuseok Remains
Chuseok is a holiday of gathering, remembrance, and sharing. Families traditionally travel across provinces to reunite, honor ancestors, and enjoy seasonal foods. This year, travel and outdoor activities were tempered by the rain, prompting many to adjust moon-viewing plans and keep celebrations indoors. Yet, the spirit of the holiday persisted. Tables were laden with freshly made songpyeon, and ancestral rites were observed with reverence. Children played folk games, and elders recounted stories from Chuseoks past, weaving personal histories into the fabric of the day.
Modern technology played its part. Virtual greetings, video calls, and social media posts allowed families separated by distance—or weather—to connect. K-pop idols’ holiday messages resonated with fans worldwide, reflecting how Chuseok traditions are evolving but enduring in the digital age.
Pop Culture’s Role in Preserving Heritage
In recent years, K-pop’s embrace of traditional customs has become a powerful cultural force. Artists donning hanbok for Chuseok not only honor their heritage but also introduce global audiences to Korean rituals. Social media platforms are flooded with images of idols in hanbok, sparking interest in Korean fashion, food, and history far beyond national borders. For many international fans, these posts are a first encounter with Chuseok—and an invitation to learn more.
Entertainment agencies have recognized this potential, leveraging holiday greetings and themed content to deepen fan engagement. The blending of pop culture and tradition is not without its critics, who worry about commercialization. Yet, for most observers, the K-pop wave has been instrumental in sustaining cultural practices, making them relevant to younger generations and accessible to the world.
As Chuseok 2025 winds down, the images of idols in hanbok and families sharing songpyeon linger—testament to a holiday that continues to evolve while holding fast to its roots.
Chuseok 2025 unfolded as a vivid portrait of Korean identity: K-pop stars weaving tradition into the present, families adapting rituals to the rhythms of weather and technology, and a nation finding new ways to honor its heritage even when the moon hides behind the clouds.