Mason Korea students enjoy conversation and traditional Korean food Sept. 24 to celebrate Chuseok, a mid-autumn harvest festival, at Dewberry Hall. (Isabella Pearlstein / Fourth Estate)
Students enjoy popular Korean food and games at Dewberry Hall for Chuseok
BY ISABELLA PEARLSTEIN, CULTURE EDITOR
Mason Korea students celebrated Chuseok, a major Korean holiday, at Dewberry Hall Sept. 24 with Korean food and games.
Students enjoyed traditional Korean dishes such as spicy pork and rice, savory Korean-style pancakes, half moon-shaped rice cakes and sweet rice punch. During the celebration, students played games like jegi-chagi, where people kick and pass shuttlecocks to each other.
Mason Korea Student Engagement hosted the celebration.
Chuseok is a major Korean holiday about showing gratitude to ancestors and newly harvested crops according to the Gateway Korea Foundation. Food also plays a central role in the holiday; families in Korea gather to prepare food and drink for their ancestors.
Heewon Yang, a senior Computational and Data Sciences major and a Mason Korea intern at the Office of International Programs and Services, helped organize the event.
“Having familiar Korean food, playing traditional games and spending time with other students can make students feel more connected to home,” she said.
Students sat at round tables talking with one another, introducing themselves and discussing day-to-day topics like popular culture and media. Students also had the opportunity to take photos with their peers while holding moon and star-shaped balloons.
Students pose for digital photos and polaroid opportunities Sept. 24 at Dewberry Hall. (Isabella Pearlstein / Fourth Estate)
“The food we had today is identical to [the] Korean holiday and the way we play jegi-chagi … and seeing many Koreans here feels like a Korean holiday to me,” said Hyeonmin Kwon, a senior Global Affairs and Mason Korea student.
Heesung Moon, a senior Computational and Data Sciences major and Mason Korea student, felt the same connection and community.
“It’s great to feel my country, you know. I’m not in my country, so [I] can see my other Korean friends from Mason Korea,” he said.
Attendees emphasized how important food and family are during the holiday.
“In Korea, sharing a good meal is an important way of showing care,” Yang said.
Kwon called her family the day before while they were preparing dinner.
“Koreans think having and sharing a meal together is a very important time,” she said. “This event was the only event this week I look forward to because it’s hard to see other students in my class schedule … This kind of opportunity is a very good time to see people that I didn’t see for a while.”
