Chuseok Family Festival

Celebrate Chuseok, Korea’s beloved harvest festival, with the museum! Learn about both past and current traditions of one of the biggest holidays in South Korea. Enjoy delicious food, crafts, family activities, and dynamic performances (including K-pop dance and traditional arts). Plus, this year’s event features 씨름 (Ssireum), Korea’s traditional wrestling, with live demonstrations and interactive workshops.

Register in advance to make sure you get the best experience. Some activities have a limited capacity, with entry on a first-come, first-served basis.

About Ssireum (Korean Traditional Wrestling)Ssireum is an age-old sport celebrated during holidays like Chuseok and is on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Throughout the day, we’ll have live demonstration matches and interactive workshops that invite visitors to step into the ring and try the techniques themselves.

Following the matches, explore historical photos, video clips, and authentic wrestling props such as the 샅바 (satba), the belt worn during matches; the champion’s 장사 (Jangsa) ceremonial robe; and a symbolic bull trophy. This captivating cultural display offers audiences of all ages a hands-on introduction to this centuries-old martial tradition.

• To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all visitors, access to 씨름 (Ssireum) demonstration matches may be limited due to capacity and crowd management considerations.
• Participation in the interactive workshops will be selected through an on-site raffle system.
• Workshop participants may be asked to complete a brief safety waiver form on-site in accordance with museum guidelines.

Learn more about Ssireum: Korea Ssireum Association Website

Program Details:

Jewelry & Accessories Trunk Show with Chaotic Neutral NY

10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

East Building (Arthur M. Sackler Gallery), Museum Store

Displays presented by the Korean Cultural Center Washington, DC

11 a.m.–4 p.m.

• Life Size Charye Ancestral Rites TableWest Building (Freer Gallery of Art), North Corridor

• Korea Ssireum Association Photo DisplayEast Building (Arthur M. Sackler Gallery), Gallery 30

Crafts and Activities presented by the Korean Cultural Center Washington, DC

11 a.m.–4 p.m.

• Coloring Activity and Fan DecoratingWest Building, South Corridor

• Hanbok (한복) Traditional Korean Clothing Photo BoothEast Building, Gallery 27 (Flex Space)

Family Fun

11 a.m.–1 p.m.

• Family Fun Korean Folk & Fairy Tales, West Building, Courtyard

• Family Fun Scavenger Hunt & Sketching, West Building, galleries 12 and 14

Ssireum, Traditional Korean Wrestling Demonstrations by the Korea Ssireum Association Gallery 30

• Demonstration Match: 11–11:20 a.m.

• Hands-on Workshop* :11:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m.

• Demonstration Match:12:30-12:50 p.m.

• Hands-on Workshop * :12:50 –2:00 p.m.

• Demonstration Match: 2:30–2:50 p.m.

• Hands-on Workshop*: 2:50 –4:00 p.m.

*Workshop participants will be selected through a raffle. You can pick up a raffle ticket at the entrance to gallery 30.

You must sign a safety waiver to participate in a workshop.

Music and Performances co-presented by the Korean Cultural Center Washington, DC

• K-pop DJ Set and Dance Performances by N2 Studios and DJ Taeon Lee

11 a.m.–4 p.m., West Building Plaza

• Korean Traditional Dance & Drumming by Di Dim Sae Korean Traditional Art Institute (Director: Soo Kyung Jung)Presenting Giwonmu (Ritual Dance), Mega Drum Performance, Burna Spin, Hwaraengi Chum (solo dance), and Samgomu (Drum Dance)

1:30–2 p.m.

West Building, Meyer Auditorium

• Samulnori Traditional Percussion Ensemble by Washington Samulnori (Director: Sebastian Wang)Presenting Samdo Sul Changgo Garak and Samdo Nongak Garak

2:10–2:40 p.m.

West Building, Meyer Auditorium

• Korean Folk and American Old-time Fusion with Global String Band JOOLFeaturing Yoona Kim and Sammy Wetstein and the Korean ajaeng (bowed zither)

3-3:40 p.m.

West Building, Meyer Auditorium

Tours and Talks

• Gallery Tour: Rediscovering Korea’s Past with curator Sunwoo Hwang

1 p.m. Gallery 14

• Hands-On Conservation | Korean Ceramics

2–3 p.m. Outside gallery 14

• Spotlight Talks

1–4 p.m. Gallery 13 and Gallery 17

Food for Sale

12–4 p.m., Plaza

Refreshments from AmLux Cafe, bit bakery, Noonchi by Bun’d Up, and Tae-gu Kimchi available for purchase while supplies last.

This event is copresented by the Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. and the Korea Ssireum Association. Generous support provided by the National Museum of Korea.

Host or Publisher Freer and Sackler Galleries