Happy Chuseok! 추석 잘 보내세요!

Happy Chuseok everyone! ❤

For those of you who don’t know what Chuseok is, it’s basically the Korean equivalent of American Thanksgiving. And if you’re not American, Chuseok is basically a huge festival with a lot of food that falls somewhere between September 18 and September 20. (Chuseok is on September 19th this year!) Chuseok is the biggest holiday in Korea. You may have heard of it called Hangawi before as well.

When I called Chuseok ‘Korea’s equivalent of Thanksgiving’, I wasn’t joking. Chuseok is all about being thankful for your ancestors and the harvest, similar to the way Americans are thankful for the year they’ve had so far. You’ll probably see Korean celebrities in Chuseok outfits, like Crayon Pop are wearing here:

However, Crayon Pop’s outfits aren’t very traditional. Most Korean women will wear a much longer skirt, and if they are wearing pants, they won’t be shown. The headpieces aren’t as common either- but this is Crayon Pop…

Chuseok is a three-day holiday in Korea, and it begins on Wednesday and goes to Friday, and then, of course, you have the weekend, so it’s typically a five-day break for most Koreans. Lucky 😉

One of the biggest Chuseok events in the K-Pop world is the Idol Star Athletic Championships. This competition has a yearly Chuseok special, and features many impressive K-Pop groups and Idols. SHINee, B2ST, and T-ara have all participated in this competition, as well as many other groups. If I recall correctly from when I viewed the show on Korean TV, there were 160 Idols competing in the event. 😮

For example, in this photograph, you’ll see SHINee competing in the Idol Star on Chuseok.

T-ara 😉

This event is something I look forward to every year. Why? I love seeing my favourite celebrities outside of their elements- whether it’s singing, dancing, or just looking cute- and in what I consider my element. I may be extremely interested in becoming an idol, but until that is achieved, I am three things: a runner, a writer, and an artist.

These idols seem so perfect to us, with their flawless skin, big, bright eyes, and long legs, that we tend to forget that they are really just human. They aren’t any different from the rest of us once you remove all the makeup and the photoshop. They may be stunningly attractive and incredibly talented, but get this: Everyone has a talent. And everyone is uniquely beautiful. You may not fit the standard K-Pop look, but you can still be beautiful. You don’t have to be 5’6”, porcelain-skinned and able to sing like Christina Auguilera to be beautiful. Not all K-pop idols are this way, and you shouldn’t have to be, either. Beauty, in my opinion, comes from diversity, not conformity.

Not all K-Pop idols can run at break-neck speed or leap eight meters. The best part about Idol Star Athletic Championship is seeing them try, even if they aren’t that great. It’s the effort that they put into it that counts.

Chuseok is a holiday that can mean many different things to many different types of people. For me, Chuseok means Idol Star, Korean BBQ, hot tea, and friends. For other people, it might mean fancy outfits and visiting the cemetery. Chuseok can be traditional, unconventional, or just plain wacky, all depending on who you ask.

Here, Girl’s Generation wears traditional clothing. They embody the traditional Chuseok style.

(Taken from my Instagram- @officialpeiton)

As I said earlier, part of Chuseok for me is hot tea. I’ve been drinking traditional-styled Korean tea during Chuseok since I was a little girl. I’ll always associate it with Chuseok, no matter how old I get or where I live.

In my opinion, Chuseok is not about fancy outfits and five-days off. Chuseok is about being thankful for what you have, even if it isn’t much. Chuseok is family, friends, and being thankful for the life you’re living. I may not be the wealthiest girl (in fact, I’m definitely NOT), or the prettiest (No here too), but I’m still thankful for everything I have. I’m thankful for my education, my friends and family, and I’m thankful for you. You, the person who’s reading this right now. I wouldn’t be anywhere without the wonderful people in my life, and you are one of those wonderful people. The fact that you even attempted to read all the way through this is enough for me.

Happy Chuseok! 추석 잘 보내세요!