Jiknyeo and Gyeonu are also called the Star Crossed Lovers. They are thought to be the origin of how the Ch'ilseok festival came to be.
Jiknyeo is the Weaver, a maiden who was exquisitely skilled with her hands. The Sky God (e.g. God of Heaven) was her father. She was the most talented weaver in the heavens. When she was of age to be married, the court officials had suggested Gyeonu, a notably skilled cattle herdsman. They fell in love immediately and began to cast aside their duties in order to spend more time together. This angered the Sky God, and so he punished them both. He banished Gyeonu to the eastern sky, and Jiknyeo to the western sky.
Symbolically, they are two stars that are separated by the milky way, and so they can only meet once a year due to angering Jiknyeo's father.
The Sky God gave a promise because he was sympathetic to them both and understood how hard it is to be away from the one you love. If they worked hard all year, he would allow them to be reunited on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month.
After the first year, they attempted to reunite but could not, as the milky way had no way for them to meet in the middle. Jiknyeo and Gyeonu both cried together in sorrow and these tears fell to earth as the rain. Their tears became so cataclysmic that the animals of the earth agreed to become a bridge for the two to meet. As only birds are able to survive in both air and land, magpies and crows were entrusted to become the lovers' bridge, called ojakgyo. The lovers using this bridge every year caused the magpies and crows to become "bald" and so the lay ritual emerged to leave offerings for the birds every year as well.
You can celebrate Ch'ilseong festival by leaving weaved materials and food offerings (such as fruits, desserts) and grains to Jiknyeo and Gyeonu. As well as similar offerings (perhaps instead of grains you use a locally acceptable bird food) for the magpies and crows that work so hard every year for them to meet.
You're able to pray to these two any night, but they'll hear you the best on their festival day. Ch'ilseok, the God of Seven Stars, is also someone who you can pray to at any time in order to receive blessings of harmony and love in your relationships, with your significant other, and your family.
Epithets:
They Who Meet Upon the Ojakgyo
They Who Cross the Milky Way
They Who Love Endlessly
They Whose Sorrow Pour Upon the Earth
They Who Walk On the Backs of Birds
The Forever Dedicated Lovers
The Lovers of the Milky Way
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