Best time to visit South Korea - 2017
February 21, 2017
Seasons and Weather
South Korea’s climate is typically temperate with four distinct seasons. There is never a bad time to visit South Korea but travelers should time their visit according to what they want to see and do during their trip. The seasons in South Korea are divided into spring, summer, autumn and winter, each bringing with its own benefits and challenges.
Spring
During the spring, which falls between April and June, the country is painted pink by the abundant cherry blossoms that decorate South Korea’s green spaces. The weather during this season is the least likely to be inclement, making it one of the more popular, albeit crowded, times of the year to visit South Korea - expect mostly sunny days.
Summer
Summers in South Korea are generally warm but often see monsoon rains from July to August, making the whole country almost intolerably muggy. If you don’t want to find yourself perpetually damp then this time of the year is best avoided. By June the average temperature is 22°C with July and August experiencing the highest rainfall of the year.
Autumn
Once the rains have passed, however, the country is bathed in the most stunning shades of orange and red as the autumn leaves start to bloom. With mild temperatures, low rainfall and a wealth of unadulterated natural beauty, autumn (September to November) is a close rival to spring with regards to being the best period to visit South Korea.
Winter
Finally, we come to the cold but curiously delightful season that is winter, falling between December and March. While being cold is never the best thing in the world, there is a certain charm about wrapping up warm and walking through crisp, white snow. Transport still runs like clockwork in South Korea and many points of interest are likely to be far less congested than usual so if you want to avoid the crowds, winter isn’t such a bad time to visit. This is also the perfect time to go to South Korea if skiing, snowboarding or any other snow-related activity is on the agenda.
Climate | Seoul
|
JAN
|
FEB
|
MAR
|
APR
|
MAY
|
JUN
|
JUL
|
AUG
|
SEP
|
OCT
|
NOV
|
DEC
|
|
|
TEMP MIN °C
|
-9
|
-7
|
-2
|
5
|
11
|
16
|
21
|
22
|
15
|
7
|
0
|
-7
|
|
TEMP MAX °C
|
0
|
3
|
8
|
17
|
22
|
27
|
29
|
31
|
26
|
19
|
11
|
3
|
|
RAINFALL (MM)
|
31
|
20
|
38
|
76
|
81
|
130
|
376
|
267
|
119
|
41
|
46
|
25
|
Climate | Jeju Island
|
JAN
|
FEB
|
MAR
|
APR
|
MAY
|
JUN
|
JUL
|
AUG
|
SEP
|
OCT
|
NOV
|
DEC
|
|
|
TEMP MIN °C
|
3
|
4
|
6
|
10
|
14
|
19
|
23
|
24
|
20
|
15
|
10
|
5
|
|
TEMP MAX °C
|
8
|
9
|
13
|
18
|
22
|
25
|
29
|
30
|
26
|
21
|
16
|
11
|
|
RAINFALL (MM)
|
65
|
62
|
89
|
90
|
97
|
181
|
240
|
283
|
222
|
80
|
62
|
48
|
Festivals and Events
Encompassing everything we know and love about the Far East, festivals in South Korea delicately mingle religion, culture and cuisine, invariably offering spectators an event to remember. Always characterized by elaborate dress, bright and dazzling colors, music, dancing, food and high spirits, there is little not to enjoy when it comes to South Korean festivals. Here are some of our favorites to whet your appetite.
Chuseok
Chuseok is known as the Korean Thanksgiving and falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. Originally, the festival was for the people to give thanks to their ancestors for a plentiful harvest. Nowadays it is celebrated by exchanging gifts as the women of each family prepare a variety of special dishes, most of which include the newly harvested rice, for which Koreans are so thankful. Songpyeon, a cake made from ground rice and stuffed with red beans, chestnuts, and sesame seeds, is a traditional dish eaten during this festival.
BIFF (Busan International Film Festival)
One of Asia’s biggest and most influential films festivals, BIFF aims to showcase and promote the work of up and coming directors, particularly from Asia, and screen some of the newest and hottest films around. The festival takes place at the Busan Cinema Centre and includes a number of different talks and masterclasses in addition to showing films from a variety of different genres and styles. Awards are given out in various categories, such as the two best feature films, best actor and actress, the film that gained the most acclaim from the audience and the best world documentary film. Prizes are all in cash as a way to help filmmakers with their next projects.
Ultra Korea Music Festival
Seoul welcomes to the stage some of the hottest artists and DJs in the world during the Ultra Korea Music Festival. Past performers of this global music extravaganza have included Deadmau5, Chase & Status, Afrojack, Armin van Buuren and Avicii. The vibe at the festival is always electric, and not just because of the electronic beats coming from the gigantic speakers at the front. Hundreds of thousands of music lovers make their way to the capital for this event as they pay homage to some of their best-loved rhythm-makers.
Gangneung Dano Festival
The Dano festival is celebrated across both North and South Korea but the Gangneung branch has gained special recognition by spectators and UNESCO who designated it one of the “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”. Traditionally, during this festival, women would wash their hair with water that has been boiled with the sweet flag (a wetland plant) while men engaged in wrestling matches. Blue and red traditional clothes are also worn for the duration of the festival and music, singing and wine all make generous appearances.
Boryeong Mud Festival
Each year, the muddy shores of Boryeong see an influx of visitors as hordes of locals and foreigners head to the Mud Festival for the chance to blow off some steam while they get their hands dirty (literally). Mud sliding, mud massages, and mud wrestling are just some of the messy events that take place during this unique festival. The mud itself is sought after for its curative properties and whilst celebrating, men and women cake themselves in it with the hopes that their skin will be all the better for it afterward.
2017 Calendar
To help plan your visit to South Korea, here's an overview of the festivals and events taking place in 2017. This is by no means an exhaustive list so if you are thinking of heading to South Korea outside of these dates and want to know what's on, check out a more comprehensive list here.
March 24th-26th - Ultra Korea Music Festival (Seoul)
May 20th - June 11th - FIFA U-20 World Cup (Nationwide)
June (dates TBC) - Gangneung Dano Festival (Gangneung)
July 14th-23rd - Boryeong Mud Festival (Boryeong)
October 4th-6th - Chuseok (Nationwide)
October (dates TBC) - BIFF (Busan)
May 20th - June 11th - FIFA U-20 World Cup (Nationwide)
June (dates TBC) - Gangneung Dano Festival (Gangneung)
July 14th-23rd - Boryeong Mud Festival (Boryeong)
October 4th-6th - Chuseok (Nationwide)
October (dates TBC) - BIFF (Busan)
There's also a number of national holidays in South Korea and on these dates many businesses and some tourist sites will close for the day so plan your visit accordingly.
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