Chuseok, My Birthday and Korea-Yonsei Games

Sorry, my intention was to update the blog much earlier, but I’ve simply been too busy/tired for the past month. Finally, the midterm exams of this semester are over so I actually have some time to write. So many things have happened since the last post. Here are some updates to what I did in September.

Chuseok (추석)

This year Chuseok was celebrated on September 14-16. It is a harvest festival that is also known by name “Korean Thanksgiving.” Many Koreans travel back to their hometowns to their parents or grandparents for Chuseok. Traditions include respecting their ancestors by performing ancestor worship rituals. More about the subject for example here.

     My birthday happened to be on the most important day of Chuseok (this year September 15), when basically nothing was open. Well, I had managed to fall down with flu so I wouldn’t have had any energy for crazy partying anyways. With couple of my friends we luckily found an open restaurant, where went for lunch and later that evening I went to a dinner organized by one of my friends from Korean class. We gathered to make some dinner together and celebrated Chuseok that way. Not a bad way to celebrate one’s birthday I’d say.

Original picture. A family making songpyeons (송편) that are traditionally eaten during Chuseok.

Trick Eye Museum

On Friday September 16, despite Chuseok, the streets were crowed with people and almost every store seemed to open again. With small group of friends we decided to visit Trick Eye Museum, where the exhibitions are based on optical illusions. Instead of writing I think it’s much easier just simply show you some pictures from there. I had such an amazing day! Thanks everyone that were there. :)

Korea-Yonsei games (고연전)

One of the biggest events here is the Korea-Yonsei games, in which Korea University and Yonsei University compete against each other in five events: soccer, rugby, baseball, basketball and ice hockey. The games are two-day event – this year they were on Friday Sept. 23 and Saturday Sept. 24. On Friday most of the lectures were either cancelled or the teachers were not taking attendance for that day’s classes. The event is that important!

     Sadly, I was still a bit feeling the effects of the flu I had caught earlier so I decided to skip the games for Friday, and rest at home. Moreover, I wouldn’t have been able to watch ice hockey game anyways since you needed a ticket for that, and one could win the ticket only by participating to the “cheering orientation.” I wasn’t able to participate because of my flu. :( KUBA (Korea University Buddy Assistants) had also organized an “cheering orientation” event, but the tickets were distributed only during the orientation for all students. Literally, the orientation was about learning choreographs to various cheering songs.

     On Saturday I felt much better, and decided to go to see the games. And it was worth it! Cheering is a serious thing around here. The songs were played with no breaks, and you weren’t able to sit down in that hassle because people kept pushing you to participate. I found couple videos to give you a little example.

Color coding! Red = Korea, blue = Yonsei

Saturday’s events were rugby and soccer. Korea University was the winner of the games since it won two games: baseball and soccer. Yonsei won the rugby game. Basketball and ice hockey games were ties.

I think this is enough for this time. Within next couple weeks I'll try to write posts about my trips to Jeju island and Jinju Lantern Festival. I’m so sorry that these updates are so late, but better later than never… Right? ^^’

xxx