How much will Chuseok cost Korean households this year?
Chuseok is a time for family reunions and celebration. But for many Koreans, the holiday also brings an unavoidable question: How much will it cost this year? Expenses can quickly add up, from gifts and food to fuel and highway costs. Here is a breakdown of how much Korean households can expect to spend during this year's four-day Chuseok long weekend, which runs from Sept. 24 to 27. Charye table For many Korean families, food is one of the biggest Chuseok expenses. Holiday meals typically include traditional dishes and seasonal foods for family gatherings and, in many households, ancestral rites known as "charye." Although more households are choosing not to hold the rite amid shrinking family sizes and changing attitudes among younger generations, preparing food for charye remains a significant expense. A survey by the Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations showed that the cost of preparing a charye meal for a family of four averaged 313,089 won ($231.54) this year, down 2.3 percent from a year earlier. Lower prices for fruit, seafood and processed foods helped drive the decline
