Outbound travelers pack the duty-free area of Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport on Friday, the first day of the Chuseok holiday, which can last up to 10 days. Yonhap
Chuseok is undergoing a marked cultural shift among Korea’s so-called MZ Generation, who are increasingly opting to spend the holiday alone, send digital gifts, or travel abroad — departing from longstanding traditions of family gatherings and ancestral rites.
The MZ Generation — a term that encompasses both millennials and Gen Z — is largely concentrated in Seoul and the greater capital region for work or study. Digitally fluent and globally minded, many prefer international travel over domestic getaways.
This shift reflects how, for many in the MZ Generation, Chuseok is no longer synonymous with returning to their hometowns — a tradition that typically sees millions of Koreans travel across the country to reunite with family.
In a recent nationwide poll conducted by research and analysis firm PMI, 36.1 percent of 3,000 adult respondents said they planned to spend this year’s Chuseok holiday resting at home, edging out the 33.5 percent who intended to visit family.
The survey was conducted among people aged 20 to 69, and those opting to stay home alone were primarily in their 20s and 30s, according to PMI.
Interestingly, even as many in the MZ Generation distance themselves from formal Chuseok traditions, a strong sense of nostalgia for holiday dishes endures.
Dishes like songpyeon — the iconic half-moon-shaped rice cakes — along with jeon (savory pancakes) continue to evoke memories of family gatherings and festive celebrations.
As a result, a growing segment of the MZ Generation is organizing casual, potluck-style gatherings with friends and neighbors, often coordinated through popular online community platforms such as Danggeun Market, a widely used Korean app that connects neighbors for buying, selling, and socializing within local communities.
“These gatherings create communal moments that substitute traditional family reunions,” Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University, said. “The shift represents a mix of cost-efficiency, individual choice, and the convenience of digital platforms easing social barriers — all hallmarks of the MZ Generation.”
Gift-giving customs are also undergoing rapid change, as many younger Koreans now favor digital gift cards and online shopping over traditional, in-person exchanges.
Traditional gift sets, such as fruit baskets, packages of meat, and health supplements, are increasingly being replaced by digital cash gifts sent via messaging apps.
A 33-year-old office worker, surnamed Kim, shared on social media that although he had booked a trip to Australia during Chuseok, he still felt uneasy about skipping the usual gestures toward his parents.
“I wired cash to my parents as a special allowance and sent additional gifts through KakaoTalk,” he said, referring to Korea’s most widely used messaging app, operated by tech giant Kakao.
According to Kakao and its rival Naver, digital cash remains the most preferred gift option, with over 41 percent of users choosing it over physical goods.
The companies emphasized that their services for sending gift certificates, money, or food streamline holiday gifting, making it faster, simpler, and better aligned with the digital-first lifestyle of the MZ Generation.
The rise of digital gifting underscores a broader transformation in how Chuseok is celebrated, a change vividly illustrated by the expected surge in travel. Incheon International Airport anticipates a record 2.45 million passengers during the extended holiday period, lasting up to 10 days from Friday through Oct. 12.
This figure marks an 11.5 percent increase from last year, when the holiday extended up to nine days with the inclusion of weekends and personal leave.
While the airport authority did not release detailed data, industry officials believe that solo travelers in their 20s and 30s make up a significant portion of the surge.
link
