Hangwa in South Korea 2024-2025

Hangwa, a traditional Korean confectionery, blends grain flour, honey, sugar, fruit, and edible roots into various forms adorned with natural colors. It holds cultural significance, traditionally served during jesa, chuseok, geolhonshik, and hwanggap celebrations, marking ancestral rites, harvest festivals, weddings, and sixtieth birthdays respectively.

Types of Hangwa

The most popular varieties of hangwa are yakgwa, yugwa, and dasik. Yakgwa is a fried rice flour dough ball, yugwa is also a type of fried cookie, and dasik, known as a tea cookie, is always enjoyed with a cup of tea. Thanks to bright colors, hangwa is a must-have item on the Korean festive table. Locals make it for special occasions like weddings, birthdays, and other family celebrations.

Chuseok

Chuseok, also known as Hangawi, is a significant mid-autumn harvest festival in South Korea, celebrated over three days. It falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, coinciding with the full moon, and is often referred to as the "Korean Thanksgiving" due to its harvest traditions and autumnal timing. Many South Koreans travel to their ancestral hometowns to enjoy special foods such as hangwa, songpyeon, a rice cake steamed over pine needles, and rice wines like sindoju and dongdongju. Korean pancakes, fresh fruits like Asian pear and hallabong, and sweets such as yakgwa are also popular during this festive period.