When Seoul suddenly goes quiet You might notice something strange walking the streets of Seoul during the Chuseok holiday. The alley restaurants that are usually crowded are closed, and a few convenience stores have pulled down their shutters. Meanwhile, the highways are packed and keep showing up on the news. It feels like a whole city has gone completely quiet — it's bound to feel strange. The news even calls it a 'great national migration' because it's such a huge movement. ## Why is everyone going back to their hometowns Chuseok is a holiday similar to Thanksgiving in Korea. On this day families perform ancestral rites and go to the graves to pay their respects. Because it's a culture that values caring for ancestors, even people who work in Seoul go back to their hometowns to be with their parents at this time. Since companies and schools also take several days off, it's a good opportunity to visit distant hometowns you normally can't go to. So Seoul empties out, and the roads heading to the provinces get packed. ## What should I do now? For restaurants or hospitals, check the 'Open' status on map apps in advance. Around the holidays many places are closed, and opening hours may be different from usual. Instead, tourist sites like Gyeongbokgung are less crowded than usual, so it can actually be nicer for visiting. Some big supermarkets, convenience stores, and a few emergency rooms at large hospitals are still open, so if it's urgent you can go there first.