Families do not have to travel far this Chuseok holiday. They can pitch a shade tent along the Han River on a cool evening and share delivery food, or board the Han River Bus to watch the sunset turn the water red. Children can play jegichagi (a shuttlecock-kicking game) and yunnori (a traditional board game), or visitors can open a book in the river breeze. This Chuseok, spots along the Han River are being turned into holiday playgrounds in the heart of the city.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said on the 24th that it will run a range of cultural and leisure programs at Han River parks during the Chuseok holiday.
The Han River Bus will operate throughout the holiday, carrying passengers between major points including Seongsu-dong, Yeouido and Jamsil while offering views of the waterfront. The city increased both daytime and nighttime sailings starting Aug. 15, widening the hours available from afternoon through evening.
For those who want to ride at sunset, the city has created a new "Han River Sunset Map" ahead of the holiday. It marks 23 viewing spots, including the Yeouido skyline seen from Nodeul Island, Namsan viewed from the Seongsu Skywalk, and Cheongdam Bridge as seen from the Ttukseom Han River Bus pier. The map also links seasonal sunset times with the bus schedule. As of late September, passengers can catch the 5:52 p.m. boat from Yeouido pier toward Magok, or the 5:30 p.m. boat from Jamsil pier toward Yeouido, to see the sunset from the water.
Visitors can also settle in at a Han River park for a slower holiday. The city extended shade tent hours at 11 Han River parks from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and expanded the designated areas from 16 to 20. A total of 17 delivery zones will also operate: four at Yeouido, three at Ttukseom, two at Banpo, and one each at Gwangnaru, Jamsil, Jamwon, Ichon, Yanghwa, Nanji, Gangseo and Mangwon.
Families with children may want to check out the Chuseok events held along the river in the latter half of the holiday. On the 26th, the day after Chuseok, a special holiday event will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Seoul Battleship Park in Mangwon Han River Park, Mapo-gu, Seoul. The lineup includes a performance based on the folk tale of the tiger and the woodcutter, along with traditional games such as jegichagi, yunnori and tuho (a hoop-and-arrow tossing game). Face painting, balloon art and other hands-on programs will also be offered.
At Seoul Battleship Park, visitors can tour three decommissioned vessels, including the ROKS Seoul, a patrol boat and a submarine. At 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., a retired navy captain will lead docent programs describing life aboard the ships and navy culture.
On the 27th, the final day of the holiday, the Car-Free Jamsu Bridge Walking Festival at Banpo Han River Park in Seocho-gu, Seoul, will take on a Chuseok theme. The "Moonlight Chuseok Yard" will feature traditional costumes and folk performances from six countries including South Korea, Argentina, Bulgaria, Russia, Panama and Kazakhstan. Hanbok rentals and traditional games will also be available. The festival runs from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., with hour-long traditional performances at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The same day, Yeouido Han River Park in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, will combine books with traditional games. At the "Reading Han River Park," a Chuseok festival running from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. will offer rice cake pounding, oversized yunnori, jegichagi, tuho and hanji paper making. The outdoor library will stock some 6,000 books, from bestsellers to tactile books and foreign-language editions, for reading with a view of the river.
Park Jin-young, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Future Han River Headquarters, said residents can enjoy the holiday in many ways close to home. "This Chuseok, without traveling far, families can enjoy traditional games, performances, reading, sightseeing in Seoul and camping together at the nearby Han River," the official said. "We hope families and relatives will visit the Han River for a rich and special Chuseok holiday."
