What Is a Holtae? An Old Korean Tool for Harvesting Rice

Traditional Korean holtae used to strip rice grains from harvested stalks

Today, harvesting rice in South Korea is largely a job for machines. A modern combine can move through a rice field, cutting the rice and separating the grain as part of the harvesting process. But before machines took over this work, separating rice grains from harvested stalks required much more manual labor. One of the … 더 읽기

A Rural Harvest Festival in Korea: Autumn in the Rice Fields — Part 1

A rural autumn harvest festival surrounded by golden rice fields in Myoryang, South Korea

Autumn is one of the most important seasons in rural Korea. Rice fields that were green throughout the summer gradually turn golden, harvesting machines begin appearing beside country roads, and farming villages prepare for the rice harvest. But harvest season is not only about work. On September 19, 2026, an autumn harvest festival was held … 더 읽기

Autumn in Rural Korea: When the Rice Fields Turn Golden

Rice fields beginning to turn golden under a blue autumn sky in rural Korea

South Korea has four distinct seasons, and each one changes the landscape in a different way. Spring brings warmer weather and new growth. Summer turns the countryside deep green under hot and humid conditions. Winter can be cold and dry, leaving fields quiet until another farming season begins. But in rural Korea, autumn feels different. … 더 읽기