Kim Dae Ho's 'no ancestral rites' Chuseok meal sparks gender role debate

Kim Dae Ho's Chuseok celebration, centered around his "no ancestral rites" sentiment, has become embroiled in an unexpected controversy. While he shared photos of a bountiful family meal instead of traditional ritual food, a debate erupted over holiday traditions as those seated at the table appeared to be mostly men.

On the 25th, Kim posted photos of his Chuseok spent with family on his social media account, accompanied by the short caption "no ancestral rites." The photos captured Kim and his family members sitting around a table enjoying a meal. The menu, featuring items such as meat, steamed clams, and sashimi rice bowls, was far removed from the traditional food served during ancestral rites.

The issue lay in the seating arrangement. While the family members seated at the table appeared to be all male, the women captured in the photos appeared to be preparing and setting the food rather than joining the meal. This led to criticisms such as, "Even if ancestral rites are abolished, aren't the gender roles of the holiday still the same?"

Online reactions included comments such as, "Abolishing ancestral rites alone does not change holiday culture," "The men are all seated while the women appear to be preparing the food," and "It is still a difficult holiday for women." Conversely, some cautioned against excessive interpretation, stating, "You cannot judge the internal roles of a family from a single photo," and "It is just a photo of a family having a meal."

Kim has shared scenes of large family holiday gatherings in the past. On the 2024 Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation show "Home Alone," he drew attention by mentioning that about 50 relatives gather to make as many as 1,400 heads of *kimchi*. Later, on "Where Is My Home," he explained that his family's holiday culture has changed significantly, stating, "Our house has abolished ancestral rites and we even buy *kimchi*.""

Ultimately, this debate seems to extend beyond Kim's personal family culture to the question of whether holiday dynamics truly change when ancestral rites are removed. While the ritual food has disappeared, the seating arrangement in the photo has invited new interpretations, making the composition of the table a bigger topic of conversation than the "no ancestral rites" intention Kim originally intended.