Korean Gift-giving Etiquette Guide for Chuseok

Would you like to embrace the joy and community of Korean Thanksgiving? Start with this Korean gift giving guide for Chuseok. Also after you read the following guide about gift-giving, you need to also read our post about your Chuseok meal menu. Let’s go!

About Chuseok

Chuseok (추석), often called “Korean Thanksgiving,” is one of the most important family holidays in South Korea. It’s a time to honor ancestors, visit family, and share food. The holiday also includes a gift-giving element that might make it feel a little like Christmas. However, we want to make it clear, the gift giving for Chuseok follows a very different social framework.

For international residents, the holiday can bring questions about gift-giving etiquette. As the gift boxes may pile up in your house and you might start to wonder if you should do something. Who should you give a gift to? How much should you spend? And are there situations where giving a gift might feel awkward or unnecessary?

This guide takes you beyond tourist advice and helps you understand local expectations as a foreign resident in Korea.

Disclaimer

Always remember that cultural guides like this one provide a framework for understanding your environment. They are descriptive and not prescriptive. Culture lives and its dynamic. Use the guide to inform your curiosity and your questions.

Different areas of Korea, different economic situations, different families, and the passing of time may impact expectations. This guide is a moment in time based on generalized rules and lived experience in our communities, you need to be curious about the people in your life in Korea to learn what’s specifically expected of you.

Who Should You Give Chuseok Gifts To?

Gift-giving during Chuseok is not about checking everyone off a list. You aren’t trying to buy something for every person in your life. Instead, the gifts at Chuseok are about maintaining relationships and showing respect. In Korean culture, gifts reinforce social ties, especially where hierarchy is involved.

• Parents and In-Laws (₩100,000–₩300,000+)
• Bosses and Work Supervisors (₩50,000–₩100,000) **often best to give your boss a gift “from the team” rather than as an individual.**
• Teachers and Professors (₩30,000–₩70,000) **often best given as a department give for all the staff and teachers than to an individual teacher **
• Close Korean friends or individuals who help you a lot with solving your life problems in Korea (₩30,000–₩50,000)

Who Should NOT Receive Chuseok Gifts?

Foreign residents often make the mistake of over-gifting. Although this might feel acceptable to you, it creates a big social burden for others. All gifts come with a sense of “owing” someone back. When you give too much it creates an emotional burden. In Korea, not everyone around you expects a Chuseok gift, that’s ok and something to respect. This often includes:

• Neighbors or Casual Acquaintances: A friendly “즐거운 추석 보내세요” is enough.
• Service Providers (hair stylists, delivery drivers, etc.): Tips or gifts are not part of Chuseok culture. Please don’t bring this aspect of foreign culture to Korea.
• Coworkers at the Same Level: Unless you’re very close, gifts can feel awkward or create pressure. You can bring everyone pre-made coffees to say, “Thank you for helping me this year at work.” Acknowledge that you make their life harder and appreciate their efforts to help you.

How Much Should You Spend?

Please remember that amounts vary based on your social status. For this post, we assume that you have a middle class life in Korea:

Recipient	Typical Gift Examples	Price Range (KRW)	Notes
Parents / In-laws	Premium fruit set, beef set, ginseng, supplements	₩100,000–₩300,000+	Essential if married into a Korean family
Boss / Supervisor (from employee)	Fruit, alcohol, department store gift certificate	₩50,000–₩100,000	Shows respect; check your workplace norms. Do this as a group so you don’t make your co-workers look bad.
Teachers / Professors	Honey, tea, healthy snack set	₩30,000–₩70,000	Keep modest due to Kim Young-ran Act. Try to give something the whole teachers office and office staff can share together.
Close Friends	Coffee sets, wine, cookies	₩30,000–₩50,000	Optional, mostly younger Koreans
Acquaintances	Small snack set, cookies, nothing	₩20,000–₩30,000	Only if you feel it’s needed but not often. Can make things weird for real.
Employees / Team (if you’re the boss)	Gift certificates, snack sets, fruit sets	₩30,000–₩70,000 per person	Builds loyalty and morale, even if modest. Do it. Don’t leave your team hanging. Save your money and buy those gifts.

⚠️ Tip: Overspending can cause discomfort. A gift that is “too much” might make the receiver feel pressured to reciprocate.

What to Buy

Chuseok gifts are very seasonal and practical. Department stores and supermarkets sell prepared gift sets, making it easy.

• Fruit gift sets (apples, pears, grapes)
• Premium meat sets (한우 beef, pork)
• Health products (ginseng, vitamins, honey)
• Alcohol (soju, whiskey, wine)
• Everyday luxury items (spam gift boxes, olive oil sets, high-quality cooking oil)
• Department store gift certificates

Get the Box Set

Honestly, we all (maybe most) want our Chuseok set to come in the fancy box. It’s part of the vibes. It’s kind of a bummer if you just get a bottle of wine or six boxes of spam on their own. The box is part of the whole experience. Embrace the box sets. When we first moved here it seemed silly, but now we just want our Chuseok box.

What to Budget

According to research, most folks spend around 330,000 KRW on gifts each year. Makes sure to have this saved up by September. Do your shopping as early as possible so that you can find the best gifts and you aren’t fighting the crowds at the last minute.

Foreigner V. Foreigner Chuseok Gifts

If you aren’t married into a Korean family and you are a lower level person at work, you likely have no need to purchase Chuseok gifts. Sometimes this can feel like a relief, but it also might feel sad. In this case, sometimes international residents may choose to exchange Chuseok gifts between friends kind of like Christmas. It’s a wonderful little way to join in the holiday spirit in our own way.

If You Are a Boss or Company Owner

As a leader, Chuseok is a moment to show appreciation for your team’s hard work. Even small gifts can go a long way in building loyalty.

• Small Teams → Consider a personalized gift set (snacks, fruit, or coffee). ₩30,000–₩50,000 per employee is standard.
• Larger Teams → Gift certificates are practical and prevent favoritism. ₩20,000–₩30,000 per person is acceptable.
• Company Clients / Partners → Premium but practical sets (wine, high-quality food products, gift cards) in the ₩50,000–₩150,000 range.

Warning: Avoid overly personal gifts (like clothing or perfume) which may feel uncomfortable. Stick to food, drink, or vouchers. Your Chuseok gift should be something they can share with other people at home. This means things anyone can use. It’s not about overly custom or personal. That makes it generally makes things weird.

Modern Shifts in Gift Culture

Keep in mind, Korea is changing fast. You need to get a feel for the people in your life and where they stand. Since Chuseok can be a terrible burden, many businesses have started phasing the practice out of their culture. Remember that Korean culture is alive and dynamic, you have to ask questions and observe what’s happening around you to do the right thing in your situation.

Some changes in Chuseok gift giving include:

• Workplace Change: Some companies now discourage gift exchanges to reduce stress.
• Public Sector Limits: Teachers, government employees, and journalists are restricted from receiving expensive gifts under the “Kim Young-ran Act.”
• Young Families: Many younger Koreans skip gifts with friends and instead focus only on parents/in-laws.

As a Foreign Resident: What’s Expected?

Now that you know the generally rules of Chuseok, let’s look more closely at what international residents in Korea might be expected to do:

• If you work in a Korean office → Ask discreetly what colleagues usually do.
• If you have Korean in-laws → Gifts are non-negotiable. Spend time selecting something thoughtful. Do NOT listen if they tell you that you don’t need to get anything.
• If you are a student → A small, inexpensive token gift for a professor is thoughtful but not required. Keep it simple like a coffee on their desk. Something to say, “I see you.”
• If you are single and not tied to Korean family culture → Simply offering greetings is enough.

Special Considerations for People Who Support You

If you have someone in your life that goes above and beyond for you in South Korea, consider buying them a Chuseok gift as a sign of respect. We are talking about folks who constantly help you with translation, make phone calls, or answer questions. This is because Chuseok gifts are all about maintaining social relationships and social dynamics. Getting them a gift isn’t required, but it shows that you value them.

Chuseok Gift-Giving Around U.S. Military Communities in Korea

Since South of Seoul information is often used by U.S. military members and families stationed in South Korea, we want to be transparent about an important point: Chuseok gift-giving culture around U.S. military bases does not always follow Korean cultural norms.

To be honest, the practices we’ve seen in these communities often feel unpredictable (maybe even chaotic) compared to broader Korean society. South of Seoul volunteers don’t feel comfortable giving direct advice here because the patterns we’ve observed blend Korean traditions with U.S. customs in ways that don’t have clear rules.

This doesn’t mean the practices are “wrong.” Instead, they represent a unique culture of exchange that has developed over decades of interaction between U.S. military communities and local Korean society.

For example, we’ve noticed that service providers who work with the U.S. military (such as realtors, childcare providers, salon owners, and employees connected to the bases) sometimes follow different expectations for holiday gift exchanges. These practices often mix elements of U.S. gifting habits with Korean etiquette, and the results vary widely.

Our advice: If you live or work within a U.S. military–connected community in Korea, the best approach is to communicate directly. Ask others in your network what they usually do for Chuseok and follow the patterns within your community. Lean into the shared expectations of that environment rather than trying to apply general Korean rules.

Then for your life away from base, you can use this Korean Gift-Giving Guide to help make Chuseok easier to celebrate.

Things to Remember

As a foreign resident, you’re not expected to perfectly follow every Korean tradition, but being thoughtful about Chuseok gift-giving shows respect and helps you build stronger relationships. When in doubt, keep it modest, practical, and sincere. We also hope this Korean Gift-Giving Guide for Chuseok makes your holiday season a little more comfortable.