Chuseok: which Korean green tea to serve for the harvest festival?

1. Chuseok, the Korean harvest festival

Chuseok (추석), also known as Hangawi, falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, at the time of the autumn full moon. In 2026 it falls on Friday 25 September, with three public holidays from Thursday 24 to Saturday 26 September. Along with Seollal (the Lunar New Year), it is the most important celebration in the Korean calendar.

Its roots are agricultural: people give thanks to the land for the year's harvest and taste the new rice and the first autumn fruits. Families visit their ancestors' graves (seongmyo), tidy and weed the burial sites (beolcho), then gather around a generous table. In the evening, everyone looks up at the moon and makes a wish.

No Chuseok would be complete without songpyeon, small half moon shaped rice cakes filled with sesame, beans or chestnut and steamed on a bed of pine needles. Making songpyeon together remains one of the most cherished moments of the holiday.

2. Charye: when tea was at the heart of the rite

On the morning of Chuseok, many families perform charye (차례), the ancestral memorial rite. A carefully arranged offering table is set: new rice, songpyeon, savoury pancakes (jeon), seasonal fruit, fish and rice cakes.

The word itself tells a story. Written in Chinese characters as 茶禮, charye literally means "the tea rite". During the Silla and Goryeo periods, when tea culture flourished on the peninsula, tea was among the offerings presented to the ancestors. Over the Joseon dynasty it was gradually replaced in most households by rice wine or clear water, but the name remained.

Today, a growing number of Korean families and tea houses are bringing tea back to the charye. Serving a young leaf green tea at Chuseok is a way of reconnecting with the original meaning of the rite.

3. Ujeon, Sejak, Jakseol: understanding young leaf teas

In Korea, green teas are traditionally graded by harvest time, marked by the calendar of the 24 solar terms. The key reference point is Gogu (곡우), the "grain rain", which falls around 20 April.

Ujeon (우전, 雨前), "before the rain", refers to the very first buds picked before Gogu. It is the rarest and most sought after grade: a sweet liquor, free of bitterness and rich in umami.

Sejak (세작), "small shoots", covers young leaves harvested around Gogu and in the following weeks. It strikes the perfect balance between delicacy and character, the everyday green tea of Korean tea lovers.

Jakseol (작설, 雀舌) means "sparrow's tongue", a reference to the fine, pointed shape of the young leaves at harvest time. It is an old and poetic name found in classical Korean texts to describe young leaf green tea.

Then come Jungjak and Daejak, with larger leaves harvested later in the season. Our new selection deliberately focuses on young leaves: the finest, sweetest teas, the ones you serve when welcoming guests.

4. Our new loose leaf green tea selection

For Chuseok, we have brought together four new arrivals covering the great Korean tea regions: Hadong and Mount Jirisan, the volcanic island of Jeju and the hills of Boseong. One common thread: young, unoxidised leaves, crafted to preserve their freshness.

Good Herb young leaf green tea from Hadong

Hadong is considered one of Korea's oldest tea growing regions, with a tradition going back around 1,200 years. The Hwagae gardens grow on the foothills of Mount Jirisan, fed by the mist of the Seomjin river and marked by wide temperature swings between day and night. This Jakseol-cha offers a clean, delicate cup, a soft vegetal aroma and a refreshing finish. Its generous 120g size makes it the ideal tea for welcoming the whole family.

For a traditional presentation, simply place 5 to 6 leaves in a small cup and watch them slowly unfurl in the water.

Hadong, Jirisan · Loose leaf 120gGood Herb Jirisan Hadong Young Leaf Green Tea→

Grand cru · Ssanggye Collection · 30gUjeon First Dew of Jirisan→

OSULLOC Jeju Sejak loose leaf

Founded in 1979 with the ambition of reviving Korean tea culture, Osulloc grows its organic gardens on the volcanic island of Jeju, at Seogwang, Dolsongi and Hannam. Near Mount Sanbangsan, mist and clouds give the tea bushes natural shade. Picked around Gogu, this Sejak is crafted using a Korean method combining steaming and pan roasting: a gentle flavour, a subtle aroma and a finely coloured liquor.

Jeju · Loose leaf 40gOSULLOC Jeju Sejak Green Tea→

Nokchawon roasted Jakseol-cha

At Nokchawon (녹차원), Jakseol-cha is crafted to reveal the natural colour, aroma and flavour of the young leaf. Gently steeped in warm water, it gives a soft, smooth golden green liquor with a clean finish. An approachable, easy to enjoy tea, perfect as a first introduction to Korean green tea.

Korea · Loose leaf 40gNokchawon Roasted Jakseol-cha Green Tea→

Boseong Matcha: Organic Radiance

Boseong, in South Jeolla province, is famous for its terraced tea hills and its mild, humid climate. This organic matcha is made from first and second flush leaves, shaded for about 20 days before harvest and then stone ground. The result: a vivid green colour, a rich and smooth flavour, pronounced umami and a naturally sweet finish. A typically Korean take on matcha, to whisk or to add to your festive desserts.

Boseong · Organic · 100gBoseong Matcha: Organic Radiance→

5. Which tea with which Chuseok treat?

The Chuseok table mixes sweet, toasted and fruity flavours. Each tea in the selection naturally finds its place.

With songpyeon and rice cakes: the Jeju Sejak, gentle and lightly roasted, complements the soft texture of the rice and the sesame fillings without overpowering them.

With honey pastries: yakgwa, the royal pastry made with honey and sesame oil, calls for a clean, fresh tea. The Hadong Jakseol-cha refreshes the palate between bites.

With savoury pancakes (jeon): Nokchawon's roasted Jakseol-cha, round and smooth, balances the toasted side of vegetable or fish jeon.

With autumn fruit: Korean pear, persimmon, jujube or chestnut pair beautifully with Ujeon, whose fresh chestnut notes extend the season.

For dessert: Boseong matcha can be whisked in a bowl or added to a rice cake, ice cream or custard, for a touch of vivid green on the festive table.

Fine foods · Traditional pastryArtisanal Pumpkin and Honey Yakgwa→

6. How to brew Korean loose leaf green tea

The golden rule for Korean young leaf green teas: never use boiling water. The younger and finer the leaf, the gentler the water should be. Simply let freshly boiled water cool for a few minutes, or pour it into an empty cup first before pouring it over the leaves, as Korean tradition suggests.

Good Herb Hadong: 70 to 80°C, 2 to 3 minutes, adjusted to your preferred strength.

OSULLOC Sejak: 70°C, about 1 minute 30, two teaspoons of leaves.

Nokchawon Jakseol-cha: about 68°C, 2 minutes, then stir gently before serving.

Jirisan Ujeon: 60 to 65°C, 3g for 150ml, 60 seconds, 3 to 4 infusions.

Boseong Matcha: sift 1.5 to 2g into a bowl, add 70ml of water at 75°C and whisk in a zigzag motion until a fine foam forms.

7. Frequently asked questions