The Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving Day, is the perfect time to show your family and friends how much you appreciate them! And if you’re looking for a thoughtful gift that will make your loved ones feel special, look no further.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the best Korean Chuseok gifts to give this year that are sure to bring a smile to your loved ones’ faces. From traditional items to the latest gadgets, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 Chuseok gifts for 2023.
But first of all, what is Chuseok?
Chuseok: Celebrating Bountiful Harvest
Chuseok is a traditional Korean holiday celebrated to give thanks for the harvest. It is a time to be with family, express gratitude, and of course, exchange gifts! It’s also the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving, celebrated in Korea and wherever Koreans live throughout the world. During Chuseok, friends and family get together to exchange presents, greetings, and well wish, and when you give someone a present, it has a deeper significance than usual.
1.
Red Ginseng
In Korea, red ginseng is one health food item that attracts a lot of attention. Red ginseng is thought to strengthen a person’s immune system and overall health even more than ginseng, which might upset the systems of people who naturally have a lot of heat in them. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, there has been an explosion in interest in health and cleanliness, leading to a boom in demand for healthcare items, including lutein for eyes, probiotics for stomachs, and multivitamins. CheongKwanJang is a popular Korean brand that has been providing premium quality red ginseng all over Korea for decades now.
2.
Hanwoo (Korean Premium Beef)
Vegetarianism is one the rise in Korea as ethical eating, concern for animals, and environmental issues gain prominence. However, when offered premium “Hanu” beef, the older generation still shows ecstatic gratitude. For many people, the presence of Hanu at the table on important occasions and festivals like Chuseok is a reflection of the family’s wealth and traditional Korean values.
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3.
Hangwa (Traditional Korean Sweets)
The popularity of colorful honeyed snacks, which are typical national holiday treats, tends to peak just before or right after the Chuseok festival. You can only get them at department stores around the holidays, so you can’t go wrong with a “hangwa” gift set. You can also add “gotgam” and “songpyeon” to the mix. Dried persimmons, also known as gotgam, have a rough exterior but a soft, sweet interior. A typical songpyeon is a red bean paste-filled rice cake in the shape of a half-moon. At Chuseok, it is customary to feast on gotgam and songpyeon, both of which were formerly homemade but are now more commonly purchased from commercial vendors.
4.
Korean Booze (Alcoholic Drinks)
With a table full of food and snacks for the holidays comes a rowdy group of people and their booze. You can watch the parents’ cheeks light up with happiness when you present them with a bottle of fine wine. Also, if you want to go all out for a Korean Thanksgiving celebration, you can buy an alcohol gift box that includes traditional Korean boozes like makgeolli (rice wine), bokbunja (blackberry wine), and maeshilju (green plum wine) in beautiful packaging.
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5.
Cosmetics & Personal Care Set
A word of caution: maybe don’t give your boss a bottle of body wash as a present, since that could be seen as implying that they could use more of it. However, it’s an excellent option for buddies of a similar age who always seem to run out of toiletries. And there’s a variety of alternatives to choose from because Korean skincare is all the rage these days! You can order the trendiest skincare, makeup items, and personal care products from DKshop and get them delivered anywhere in the world in time for the upcoming Chuseok!
6.
Fruits and Snacks
Among all possible presents for Chuseok, this one is the most surefire bet. As the harvest festival is the focus of Chuseok celebrations, late summer and fall fruits, including Korean pears, apples, and grapes, are popular gifts across the country. Snack boxes can be a more affordable alternative to fruit baskets as a gift for your friends and family. In addition to adults, children are often present during Chuseok celebrations and would enjoy munching on both conventional and novel Chuseok treats.
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7.
Health and Wellness Bundle
Instead of turning up with a bunch of liquor, you may go the healthy path if you want to make an impression. Send a wellness set filled with vitamins as they make wonderful gift packages for Chuseok gifts to loved ones. The Korean people have a long tradition of using natural products like ginseng, tea, and honey for everything from skincare to digestive health. A well-presented vitamin, ginseng, and tea gift basket can convey your best wishes for the recipient’s health and happiness over the coming year!
8.
Flower Bouquets
Chuseok is a popular time for family get-togethers, and bringing a bouquet of flowers can boost moods and happiness during these celebrations. Flower baskets are a thoughtful and beautiful way to show your family and friends how much you care about them, even if they aren’t a typical gift.
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9.
BTS Gift Boxes
If you’re planning on giving gifts to all the teens and kids in the family this Chuseok, why not go a non-traditional route? While BTS gift boxes might not be the most suitable gift for the elders, they will bring a big smile to the faces of the younger ones in the family when they get their favorite K-Idol gifts for Chuseok! From BTS albums to K-Pop merchandise, you can now buy Korean Thanksgiving presents online at DKshop and even get them delivered anywhere outside Korea.
10.
Electric Massage Tools
Living apart from their parents and outside Korea, grown-up children can fill the homesickness this Chuseok using massage equipment to compensate for their mother’s embrace. There are the standard, full-size electronic lounge chairs that come in subscription models with low monthly upkeep fees, and there are the increasingly popular massage guns, which work on tense muscles like rubber-padded drills. Nothing beats a relaxing massage for the holidays!
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Conclusion
Each of us wants to give the best gifts to our friends and families. There might be a lot of things to consider when you’re out shopping for gift ideas, no matter where you live. But with the help of our incredible gift suggestions, you are guaranteed to take the ‘Best Gift Giver’ title to yourself next on Chuseok!
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