Some 61 percent of Koreans plan to go to their ancestral hometowns over Chuseok or Korean Thanksgiving, up 46 percent from last year, according to a straw poll. Online shopping website Auction surveyed around 6,400 of its members over a week about their plans for the holiday.

The most favored presents to bring home for 58 percent of the respondents were cash or gift vouchers, while 34 percent said they tap into their nest eggs to make preparations for one of the nation’s biggest holidays.

For those who want to stay put, the most popular excuses for avoiding the long drive is too much unfinished work at the office (34 percent), followed by the brevity of the holidays (19 percent), and health problems (11 percent). The favored price range for gifts is W20,000 to W30,000 (US$1=W1,084), chosen by 30 percent of respondents.