When to visit Korea — what is actually on, month by month

211 festivals are currently running or scheduled across Korea, spread over 6 months. Most travel guides tell you Korea is nice in spring and autumn. This page tells you something more useful: exactly how many events run in each month, which holidays will close things while you are there, and which parts of the country fill up.

Happening right now

50 festivals are open today. These are the ones you could reach this week.

  • Peinteojeu 페인터즈
    until 2026.12.31 · Seoul
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  • Gwangalli M Drone Light Show 광안리 M(Marvelous) 드론 라이트쇼
    until 2026.12.31 · Busan
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  • Gugak Performance Jinyeon 국악공연 진연
    until 2026.12.31 · Seoul
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  • Namsanbongsuuisik Deung Jeontongmunhwahaengsa 남산봉수의식 등 전통문화행사
    until 2026.12.31 · Seoul
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  • Seoul Wanggungsumunjang Gyodaeuisik 서울 왕궁수문장 교대의식
    until 2026.12.31 · Seoul
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  • 2026 Sungnyemun Pasuuisik 2026 숭례문 파수의식
    until 2026.12.31 · Seoul
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  • DDP Geonchuktueo DDP 건축투어
    until 2026.12.31 · Seoul
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  • Wanggaui Sanchaek 왕가의 산책
    until 2026.12.31 · Incheon
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  • 2026 Seom Bangmunui Hae 2026 섬 방문의 해
    until 2026.12.31 · South Jeolla
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  • APAP Artwork Tour APAP 작품투어 (안양공공예술프로젝트)
    until 2026.11.30 · Gyeonggi
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  • 2026 Munhwaga Inneun Nal Cheongchunmaikeu 2026 문화가 있는 날 청춘마이크
    until 2026.12.11 · Gwangju
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  • Ssokssokdeul-i Festival 2026 국립극장 쏙쏙들이페스티벌
    until 2026.12.26 · Gyeonggi
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Month by month

Festival counts are from the national tourism database. Months with at least 8 events have their own page listing every one of them.

MonthFestivalsPublic holidays
August 202642Liberation Day, Substitute holiday — Liberation Day
September 202655Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving)
October 202664National Foundation Day, Substitute holiday — National Foundation Day, Hangeul Day
November 20265—
December 20261Christmas Day
January 20271New Year's Day

What each season is actually for

Derived from how visitor numbers move across the country, not from opinion — these are the months when the relevant places measurably fill up.

WhatPeak month
Valleys and swimmingAugust
Autumn foliageOctober
Spring blossomsApril
Hot springsJanuary

Visitor movement is measured for months 4, 8, 10 only, so peak months are drawn from those measurements. Source: Korea Tourism Data Lab, visitor counts per district.

Where the festivals actually are

Upcoming festivals are spread across 17 provinces and metropolitan cities. Seoul has the most, with 32 — and even that is only 15% of the total. Korean festivals are not concentrated in one place; most of them happen where a first-time itinerary never goes.

Seoul
32
Gyeonggi
29
North Gyeongsang
19
South Chungcheong
19
Gangwon
18
Busan
16
North Jeolla
15
South Gyeongsang
15
North Chungcheong
12
South Jeolla
9
Gwangju
8
Incheon
7
Jeju
5
Ulsan
3
Sejong
2
Daegu
1
Daejeon
1

Counted from festivals currently running or scheduled. A province made up of many small counties will naturally show more events than a single city.

Why every name here has Korean next to it

Korean festivals are listed in the national database under their Korean names, and roughly half have no official English title. Where an official translation exists we use it; otherwise we romanise. Either way the Korean original is shown, because that is the string that works when you paste it into Naver Map or Kakao Map — which are the map apps that actually work in Korea.

🚪 What closes when♿ Barrier-free🔥 Rankings🧳 1st/2nd/3rd visit