When to go · Seoul
Seoul in January
Mixed month. Very cold and dry; check Seollal dates.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Temperature
- 2° / -6°
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 8
- Crowds
- Low
- South Korea overall
- Prices
- Low
- South Korea overall
Verdict
Very cold and dry; check Seollal dates.
Weather in January
- SeoulHighs around 2 °C, lows around -6 °C, rain on about 8 days
- Seoul and north-west, South Korea · Seoul, Incheon, Suwon, the DMZcool
Continental: dry winters down to −15 °C on cold snaps, hot humid summers. Fine dust (yellow dust and pollution) peaks Mar–Apr; the monsoon runs late Jun – Jul.
Winter season
Crisp blue days, hot street snacks, Christmas lights and ice rinks.
Watch: −10 °C mornings and wind; Seollal closures.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Seollal (Lunar New Year) check
Seollal 2027 falls around 6–8 February · Whole city
Three-day holiday: small restaurants and markets close, palaces often open free, trains and buses out of Seoul sell out.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · South Korea overall
- Low
- Prices · South Korea overall
- Low
South Korea overall: Cold and dry, low prices; ski in Gangwon; Seollal can fall late in the month — check.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket