Best Time to Visit Korea: Month by Month (with 2027 Holidays)

Seoul’s weather month by month

Average temperature and rainfall in Seoul (1991–2020 normals):

Month	Avg temp	Rain	What it’s like
January	−2.0°C	17 mm	Coldest month; dry and often sunny
February	0.7°C	28 mm	Still cold; Seollal holiday
March	6.1°C	37 mm	Cool; first blossoms in the south late in the month
April	12.6°C	73 mm	Cherry blossoms; mild; spring dust possible
May	18.2°C	104 mm	Warm and green; one of the best months
June	22.7°C	130 mm	Getting hot; rainy season starts late in the month
July	25.3°C	414 mm	Wettest month; hot and humid
August	26.1°C	348 mm	Hottest month; typhoon risk
September	21.7°C	142 mm	Cooling down; Chuseok holiday
October	15.0°C	52 mm	Clear and crisp; autumn colors
November	7.5°C	51 mm	Colors early in the month, then cold
December	0.2°C	23 mm	Cold; winter lights; ski season begins

About 60% of Seoul’s yearly rain falls in June, July and August.

Busan and Jeju are milder in winter. Both average above freezing in January (Busan about 4°C, Jeju about 6°C), with similar summers.

Seasons at a glance

Spring (April–May): blossoms and mild days

• Cherry blossoms: normally open in Seoul around 6–8 April, but recent years have been earlier. In 2026 they opened on 29 March. See cherry blossoms 2027.
• Yellow dust and fine dust blow in mainly in spring. Check the air quality, and pack a mask if you’re sensitive.

Summer (June–August): hot, wet and lively

• Rainy season (jangma): usually from late June to late July in Seoul.
• Typhoons are most likely in August and September.
• Beaches open from late June or July to August, including Busan’s Haeundae and Gwangalli.
• Boryeong Mud Festival: at Daecheon Beach in late July and early August.

Autumn (September–November): the clear-sky season

• Fall colors start in the mountains. At Seoraksan the colors normally begin around 28 September and peak around 17 October. Seoul’s parks and palaces follow later in October and into November.
• Busan Fireworks Festival: over Gwangalli Beach in the autumn. The 2026 festival is on 7 November.

Winter (December–February): cold, bright and quiet

• Ski season: most resorts open from late November or early December and close in March.
• Winter light festivals run in Seoul and Busan around the end of the year.
• Fewer crowds: palaces and markets are quieter than in spring and autumn.

2027 public holidays: plan around these

On the big holidays, long-distance trains and buses sell out, and many shops and restaurants close.

Holiday	2027 dates	What it means for you
Seollal (Lunar New Year)	6–9 February (Sat–Tue, incl. substitute day)	KTX tickets sell out early; many small shops close; big sights stay open
Independence Movement Day	1 March (Mon)	Long weekend
Children’s Day	5 May (Wed)	Busy at parks and theme parks
Buddha’s Birthday	13 May (Thu)	Temples are decorated with lanterns, and a lantern parade is held around this time
Chuseok (harvest festival)	14–16 September (Tue–Thu)	Same as Seollal: travel peak, some closures
National Foundation Day	3 October (Sun), substitute 4 October	Long weekend
Hangeul Day	9 October (Sat), substitute 11 October	Long weekend
Christmas	25 December (Sat), substitute 27 December	Busy shopping streets

Other public holidays in 2027: 1 January, 1 May (with a substitute day on 3 May), 6 June, 17 July (substitute 19 July) and 15 August (substitute 16 August).

Traveling over Seollal or Chuseok? Book trains as soon as they go on sale, and check opening days for the places you want to visit.

Our pick

• First visit: mid-April to May, or late September to early November.
• On a budget, and you don’t mind the cold: January to early March, avoiding Seollal.
• Beach time in Busan: July to August, but expect heat, rain and crowds.

Planning the days? Start from the Seoul 3-day itinerary or one week in Seoul and Busan.