South Korea public holidays and festivals: dates and closures

Use this table to see which month carries a holiday and what it changes for a visitor. Prices are 2026 estimates for a mid-range Seoul hotel night; holiday weekends run higher and sell out earlier.

First, fix your dates against the holiday list. If your trip overlaps Seollal or Chuseok, book KTX seats and accommodation as soon as your dates are set — these are the two windows when domestic travel peaks and prices jump. If you can move your trip by a week either side, do it: you get the same sights with fewer people and lower rates.

Second, decide whether you want a festival or just want to avoid one. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) carry the outdoor festivals and the best weather; summer brings beach and water events with heat and rain; winter is quiet apart from New Year and Christmas. See best time to visit South Korea for the weather side of this.

Third, plan around closures. On a public holiday, banks and government offices shut, and some museums and small independent shops do too. Convenience stores, most chain cafés and many restaurants stay open, and palaces and parks generally keep normal hours. Build a holiday day around outdoor sights rather than a bank errand or a small-shop shopping list.

Fourth, treat the day before and after a holiday as busy too. Seollal and Chuseok travel spreads across several days, so roads out of Seoul and intercity trains are heavy on the shoulders of the holiday, not only on the day itself. If you are driving, see driving in South Korea for tolls and rules.

Lunar dates move every year, so a holiday you remember from last year will not fall on the same day this year. Check the official calendar before you lock in flights.

Substitute holidays exist: when a holiday lands on a weekend or clashes with another, the following working day can become a day off, which extends closures by a day.

Chuseok is the one to respect most. It is a family holiday, and many small restaurants and shops in smaller cities close for several days, while Seoul stays largely open. If your trip is city-focused, you will barely notice; if it is rural, plan meals and transport ahead.

Festival dates are announced by organisers and can shift or be cancelled for weather. Confirm the specific event before you build a day around it.

For a first trip, the parent guide's shape still holds: 5–7 nights in Seoul with one bed in Myeongdong or Hongdae, then Busan by KTX if you have three more nights.

Spring blossom festivals run from late March into mid April, with the biggest crowds in Seoul and around Gyeongju; go early in the morning and use the subway or a tour rather than driving to the main blossom spots. May brings family-oriented events and the moving Buddha's Birthday date, when temples hold lantern displays.

Summer is beach and water-festival season on the east and south coasts, including the Boryeong mud festival area; expect heat, rain and busy coastal hotels. Autumn is the strongest festival season: Andong's mask dance festival, Gyeongju's heritage events and harvest celebrations cluster around September and October, matching the best weather of the year.

Winter is quieter: New Year events, Christmas lights and ski-season openings in Gangwon. If a festival is the reason for your trip, check the organiser's page for the confirmed dates before booking, and pair it with the region guide — Gangwon for winter sports, Gyeongju for heritage, Jeju for its own calendar.