Chuseok, the Korean thanksgiving, is the biggest holiday in Korea.  Usually, holidays last for 3~5 days and everyone scrambles to get back to their home towns to get together with their families and pay respect to their ancestors.  But what does Chuseok mean for you other than the days off?  If you're new to Korea, you will find this occasion to be a new experience.  Let me give you a heads up.

10 things that you'll notice about Chuseok (especially if you're in Seoul)

1. If you haven't made travel arrangements months in advance, you will be stuck in Seoul over Chuseok holidays.

Seoul is home to over 10 million people most of who happen to hail from various parts of Korean peninsula.  All these people trying to get back home means that there is always shortage of transportation out of Seoul.  Air, road, rail and even sea, you won't find a way out of Seoul around Chuseok unless you've made your arrangements well in advance.

2. Seoul will be empty.

Remember the scene from Vanilla Sky in which Tom Cruise drove around in a completely empty city?  Well, it won't be that empty but compared with what Seoul is usually like, you will find it shocking how empty the streets and the roads will look.

3. Want to eat out?  Think family restaurants.

You will find that TGIF and Bennigan's will be your best bet for finding open restaurants in Seoul.  The restaurant workers and owners also have families and home towns to get back to.  A lot of them will be closed!!!  The only sure bets will be your neighborhood family restaurants.

4. Want to shop? You're out of luck.

Department stores will close for at least two days and so will many large shopping districts like Dongdaemun.  Large malls like COEX will stay open though.

5. Nothing on TV except Jackie Chan.

Jackie Chan movies have dominated the air waves over Chuseok holidays for the last 20 years.  The reason?  No one knows.  But if you do channel surf a lot on Korea's major TV channels like SBS, KBS and MBC, you WILL get to see Jackie Chan doing his flying kicks more than once.

6. If you're the daring type, you will get the temptation to wear Hanbok and sing 'No body no body but chu' on national TV.

One of the perennial favorites on Korean TV, like Jackie Chan, is expats of various races appearing on Korean TV wearing Hanbok (traditional Korean cloth) singing popular Korean songs making fool of themselves in the name of good family fun.  The popularity of such a program has its roots in Koreans getting kick out of seeing foreigners learn and mimick their culture.

7. After Chuseok is over, you will feel better about your Chuseok (how dull it was) hearing about 20 hours your Korean colleagues spent in their cars.

From Seoul to Busan, the southern most part of Korean peninsula, it usually takes about 5 hours and change to make the trip.  Well, around Chuseok, it isn't uncommon to see the trip taking more than 10 hours.  The highways turn into giant parking lots.  The side of the roads will turn into an outdoor urinal from people who can't hold it in until they make the next rest stop about 2 hours away.  You'll be glad you weren't there.

8. Subway ride will be fun again!

With so many people gone and out of Seoul, your subway ride will be comfortable for a change.  Invasion of your personal space will be no more and the unpleasantness of #2 green line will be no more as well.

9. Expect Dduk (Korean rice cake) to be brought back and given away by your Korean colleagues.

Dduk is traditional Chuseok food.  Some of you will find your colleagues bringing some of the left overs.  Make sure you ask which ones have the sweet liquid filling inside, they're delicious.

10. You will look forward to next Chuseok.

In a crazy metropolis like Seoul, Chuseok is a nice change from its hustle and bustle pace.  Everything will be a bit slower and everything will be a bit more peaceful.  You will miss it once you experience it.  Not to mention the days off.

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