The Korean people have celebrated Chusok (Harvest Moon Day) as a great folk holiday from olden times.
The term Chusok, which literally means autumn evening, originated from the practice of celebrating the full moon day in autumn of abundant harvest.
The Korean people have long regarded visiting their ancestral graves on the day of Chusok as a natural duty and a traditional custom.
When they visited their ancestral graves, they carried dishes cooked of new cereals to hold a memorial service, dressed in festive clothing.
For successful celebration of Chusok, they made all dishes the day before.
The special festival dishes of Chusok are half-moon-shaped new rice cake, steamed rice cake, chestnut dumpling, liquor, etc., among which half-moon-shaped rice cake has been accepted to be indispensable as a symbolic dish of Chusok.
Nochi made of glutinous rice powder, malty powder, etc. was also famous as a special dish of Pyongyang
People enjoyed the day playing several folk games including ssirum, swinging, tug of war, etc.
Enjoying the full moon was another custom of the day.
They either gathered in their house yards or climbed high mountains around them to see the rising moon.
This custom reflects the inner world of the sentimental and emotional Korean nation.
The Korean people still celebrate Chusok significantly as a traditional folk holiday and as an occasion of recollecting the unforgettable revolutionary forerunners, comrades, family members, relatives and friends who passed away.