The Korean Student Association (KSA) collaborated with the Chinese Cultural Society to organize their annual combined Chuseok and Mid-Autumn Festival celebration on Oct. 3. Fordham students from all backgrounds gathered on the Lincoln Center campus to learn, connect and give thanks together.
Chuseok, described in KSA’s presentation as “Korean Thanksgiving,” is a holiday where friends and family come together as a community to hold a three-day celebration around the full moon. KSA President Rachel Kim, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center ’26, explained the significance of the theme “belonging.”
“Coming together as family, friends and community to celebrate … belonging,” Kim said. “I think that’s universal, whether you’re Korean or Chinese or anyone.”
Linh Pham, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill ’27, and her friend Catherine Topps, Fordham College at Rose Hill ’26, traveled from the Bronx campus to participate in the festivities. Pham and Topps described how the event brought back “good memories.”
“Coming together as family, friends and community to celebrate … belonging. I think that’s universal, whether you’re Korean or Chinese or anyone.” Rachel Kim, GSBLC ’26
“I didn’t start celebrating until eighth grade with my Chinese friends, so I always think of them,” Topps said. “I’ve only been able to come to one event for Chinese Club so far, and that was last year, so it’s always nice to have the opportunity to come here and learn more about the Chinese language, Chinese culture (and) eat Chinese food, most importantly.”
Pham, an international student from Vietnam, explained how the celebration reminded her of the family and friends she would celebrate with in the past.
“We usually (did) some kind of small events together … we (ate) moon cake and we (would) hang around,” Pham said. “I moved here in 2023, so I kind of miss home, and during this occasion, if we don’t do some kind of formal celebrating, we would just go out and eat a meal together, so definitely being around people reminds me of home.”
Gratitude and community were prevalent themes for the festival attendees. Brian Tong, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’26, explained the significance he finds in the holiday’s connection to the moon.
“There’s something that’s connecting about the moon and it reminds us of friends, family, loved ones,” Tong said. “When we look up and we see that moon, it’s the same moon that everyone sees … even when I’m in college and I’m away from everything that I know, (I’m) going to be looking at that.”
“Celebrating with the Fordham community has (allowed) me to learn more about the culture that I wish I had the chance to grow up with,” Brian Tong, FCLC ’26
Tong also described the impact that celebrating with the Fordham community has had on his “desire to learn more” about other Asian cultures.
“Celebrating with the Fordham community has (allowed) me to learn more about the culture that I wish I had the chance to grow up with,” Tong said. “It fostered a strong community of people that had the same desires … to grow together and to satiate that hunger of curiosity.”
Kim shared this sentiment and said she finds the Fordham community’s enthusiasm to learn more about Korean culture inspiring.
“It’s so nice seeing people enthusiastic about learning,” Kim said. “Honestly, I feel like Fordham students are really good about learning about new cultures and embracing diversity.”
When she was younger, Kim found that the younger people around her were “more adverse” in “getting to know new cultures.” Now, with the rising popularity of Korean media like K-pop and K-dramas, Kim said that the United States’ interest in Korean culture has “been growing steadily.” Kim said that this engagement can be both positive and negative.
“You can see other countries so easily on social media,” Kim said. “I think it’s good that people are learning more about other cultures. But it could (also) be bad where you see one person say one thing and you’re like, ‘Oh that must be a fact,’ (but) not all Korean people have the same idea.”
Kim explained the importance of attending cultural events such as Chuseok and Mid-Autumn Festival to expose oneself to different perspectives that provide “context and history” on the “culture and tradition” of cultures outside of one’s own. As president of KSA, Kim wants to inspire students to be more open to cultural exposure.
“I hope people go home knowing more and being open to learn more,” Kim said.
Chuseok and the Mid-Autumn Festival fall on Oct. 6 this year, the 15th day of the eighth month on the lunisolar calendar. Events across New York City kicked off over the weekend for various prolonged mid-autumn celebrations.
