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When to go to Korea
Four sharply defined seasons, from −10 °C in January to 35 °C in August. Spring and autumn are the best times; summer has to be earned, and winter holds its own very well.
Updated 7 October 2026
The short answer
If you have the choice: from mid-April to early June, or from mid-September to early November. Mild temperatures, clear skies, and the country at its best — cherry blossom then azaleas in spring, maples and ginkgos in autumn.
July and August are hot, very humid and rainy. Winter is cold and dry, but bright, uncrowded and cheaper. No season is a deal-breaker: you just need to know what to expect.
Month by month
| Month | Temperatures in Seoul | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| January | −6 to 2 °C | The coldest month, dry and sunny. Skiing, ice festivals, palaces under snow. Few visitors. |
| February | −4 to 5 °C | Still winter. Lunar New Year often falls this month: three days when the country stops. |
| March | 1 to 11 °C | The thaw. First plum blossom in the south, possible yellow dust. Cherry blossom begins on Jeju at the end of the month. |
| April | 7 to 18 °C | Cherry blossom in Seoul in the first half, then everything flowers. One of the two best months. |
| May | 13 to 24 °C | The ideal month: mild, green, bright. Lantern festival for Buddha's Birthday. |
| June | 18 to 27 °C | Hot and still pleasant until around the 20th, then the monsoon sets in. |
| July | 22 to 29 °C | Monsoon: heavy rain, crushing humidity. Museums, cafés and cold noodles. |
| August | 22 to 30 °C | The hottest and most humid, with a risk of typhoons. Beaches are open, Koreans are on holiday. |
| September | 17 to 26 °C | The air dries out from mid-month. Chuseok empties the cities and fills the trains. |
| October | 10 to 20 °C | The best month along with May. Blue skies, first colours in the mountains. |
| November | 3 to 12 °C | Maples and ginkgos in Seoul in the first half, then the cold arrives fast. |
| December | −3 to 4 °C | Dry cold, illuminations, first snow. Ski season open. |
The four seasons in detail
Cherry blossom climbs the country from south to north in two weeks: Jeju and Busan in late March, Gyeongju and Seoul in early April, the exact date shifting from year to year. The bloom lasts barely a week. The downside: episodes of fine dust blown in from the continent, mostly in March and April.
The monsoon, jangma, lasts about a month between late June and late July; August is drier but stifling. Typhoons mainly affect Jeju and the south coast between August and September and can ground planes and ferries for a day or two. On the plus side: beaches, festivals, and green everywhere.
The air turns dry and transparent. The colours come down from the mountains: Seoraksan around mid-October, Seoul and the south in early November. It is also peak hiking season — trails are very busy at weekends.
Continental cold: temperatures often stay below zero in Seoul, with a wind that sharpens the chill. But it rarely rains, underfloor heating makes interiors very comfortable, and prices drop. Busan and Jeju are noticeably milder.
The dates that complicate everything
Lunar New Year: three public holidays around 6 February in 2027. Trains and buses are snapped up weeks ahead, and many restaurants and shops close on the day itself. Palaces and major museums generally stay open, and Seoul is surprisingly calm.
The harvest festival: three public holidays around 15 September in 2027. Same effects as Seollal — avoid changing city on those days, or book your train the moment sales open.
Children's Day (5 May) and Buddha's Birthday often create a long weekend: very busy sites, pricier hotels.
Koreans' summer holidays. Beaches, Jeju and the east coast are full and rates at their peak.
Cherry-blossom and maple weekends swamp the best-known sites. Go on a weekday, early in the morning.
Choosing by what you want to do
A classic first trip
May or October, without hesitation.
Hiking
May, June, September and October. Some national-park trails close in spring and late autumn to prevent fires.
The beach
Early July to late August, the only period when beaches are staffed and set up.
Skiing
December to late February, in Gangwon Province.
The smallest budget
January, February (outside Seollal), June and November.
Jeju
April to June and September to November. The island is windy all year.
Temperatures: average lows and highs in Seoul, rounded. Blossom and foliage dates vary every year; the Korea Meteorological Administration publishes its forecasts a few weeks ahead.