South Korea›Month by month

When to go

South Korea, month by month

Where in South Korea is at its best each month, and where to skip. Each verdict comes from the place's stated best season and the closures, weather warnings and festivals Tourisma has for it: in the middle of the season is a great month, its first or last month a good one; a weather warning (monsoon seas, smoke) moves a month down, a closure (a park shut, the boats stopped) moves it down to mixed at most, and a shut place is better avoided.

South Korea in January

Plan January

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Andong, Busan, Daegu, Gangneung, Gyeongju, Jeju City, Jeonju, Nami Island & Chuncheon, Seogwipo, Seoul, Sokcho, Suncheon, Suwon, Tongyeong, Yeosu.

Can fall this month

  • Seollal (Lunar New Year) (dates shift yearly)
  • Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival

South Korea in February

Plan February

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Andong, Busan, Daegu, Gangneung, Gyeongju, Jeju City, Jeonju, Nami Island & Chuncheon, Seogwipo, Seoul, Sokcho, Suncheon, Suwon, Tongyeong, Yeosu.

Can fall this month

  • Seollal (Lunar New Year) (dates shift yearly)

South Korea in March

Plan March

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Mixed: Andong, Busan, Daegu, Gangneung, Gyeongju, Jeju City, Jeonju, Nami Island & Chuncheon, Pyeongchang, Seogwipo, Seoul, Sokcho, Suncheon, Suwon, Tongyeong, Yeosu.

Can fall this month

  • Cherry blossom festivals

South Korea in April

Plan April

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Gangneung, Pyeongchang, Sokcho.

Can fall this month

  • Cherry blossom festivals
  • Lotus Lantern Festival (Yeondeunghoe) (dates shift yearly)

South Korea in May

Plan May

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Gyeongju, Pyeongchang.

Can fall this month

  • Lotus Lantern Festival (Yeondeunghoe) (dates shift yearly)
  • Gangneung Danoje Festival (dates shift yearly)

South Korea in June

Plan June

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Andong, Daegu, Gyeongju, Jeonju, Nami Island & Chuncheon, Pyeongchang, Seoul, Suncheon, Suwon.

Can fall this month

  • Gangneung Danoje Festival (dates shift yearly)

South Korea in July

Plan July

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Mixed: Pyeongchang.

Better avoided

South Korea in August

Plan August

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Andong, Daegu, Gangneung, Gyeongju, Jeonju, Nami Island & Chuncheon, Seoul, Sokcho, Suncheon, Suwon.

Better avoided

South Korea in September

Plan September

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Busan, Jeju City, Seogwipo, Tongyeong, Yeosu, Daegu, Gyeongju, Nami Island & Chuncheon, Suncheon.

Can fall this month

  • Chuseok (harvest festival) (dates shift yearly)
  • Andong Mask Dance Festival
  • Busan International Film Festival

South Korea in October

Plan October

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Can fall this month

  • Chuseok (harvest festival) (dates shift yearly)
  • Andong Mask Dance Festival
  • Busan International Film Festival
  • Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival

South Korea in November

Plan November

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Gangneung, Pyeongchang, Sokcho.

Can fall this month

  • Seoul Lantern Festival

South Korea in December

Plan December

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Andong, Busan, Daegu, Gangneung, Gyeongju, Jeju City, Jeonju, Nami Island & Chuncheon, Seogwipo, Seoul, Sokcho, Suncheon, Suwon, Tongyeong, Yeosu.

Can fall this month

  • Seoul Lantern Festival
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