All Events
📅
This Week
Holiday
September 24, 2026
Chuseok 2026 — Korean Thanksgiving
Chuseok 2026 falls on September 24–26, with the main holiday on September 25 (15th day of the 8th lunar month). One of Korea's two most important holidays, Chuseok is a time for family reunions, ancestral memorial rites (charye), and eating songpyeon rice cakes. Expect transport crowds, business closures, and folk performances nationwide.
Read More →
Festival
September 25, 2026
Andong Mask Dance Festival 2026
One of UNESCO's recognised intangible heritage festivals, held in and around the 600-year-old Hahoe village. International mask dance troupes from across Asia, Africa, and Europe perform alongside Korean talchum (mask dance drama). The opening bonfire ceremony on the first evening, staged on the river with the village behind it, is the unmissable highlight. Free outdoor...
Read More →
General
October 1, 2026
Armed Forces Day
Armed Forces Day (October 1) is observed with military parades and ceremonies, most visibly with flyovers by the Korean Air Force that are visible from central Seoul. It is not a public holiday — most businesses and shops operate on a normal schedule — but the military parade and air demonstration draw large crowds to...
Read More →
Festival
October 2, 2026
Jarasum International Jazz Festival 2026
Korea's premier jazz festival, held on a small island in the North Han River surrounded by mountains and pine trees. International and Korean jazz artists perform across three stages simultaneously for three days. Day passes run 50,000–80,000 KRW; camping on the island is the authentic experience. Gapyeong is 90 minutes from Seoul by ITX train.
Read More →
Holiday
October 3, 2026
National Foundation Day
National Foundation Day (Gaecheonjeol, October 3) is a public holiday commemorating the legendary founding of the first Korean kingdom by Dangun in 2333 BC. Government offices and banks are closed; tourist sites, convenience stores, and most restaurants remain open. Ceremonies are held at significant historical sites. The holiday falls during the golden autumn season —...
Read More →
Festival
October 3, 2026
Seoraksan Autumn Foliage Festival 2026
Korea's most spectacular autumn foliage season, centred on Seoraksan National Park where the mountain's granite peaks turn amber and crimson from early October. The festival week includes traditional performances, night trail access, and photography contests. Weekends in peak colour (typically second week of October) draw massive crowds — arrive at the park gate before 7...
Read More →
Festival
October 3, 2026
Hi Seoul Festival 2026
Seoul's annual city festival spanning Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul Plaza, and Han River parks. Street performances, free outdoor concerts, cultural exhibitions, and food markets run across the five-day programme. The opening night parade along Sejong-daero is the set-piece event. Fully free — no tickets required.
Read More →
Festival
October 7, 2026
Busan International Film Festival 2026 (BIFF)
Asia's largest film festival and the premier platform for new Asian cinema. Over 200 films from 70+ countries screen across the Busan Cinema Center, CGV, and Lotte Cinema venues. Opening ceremony tickets are hard to get but most screenings are publicly bookable from 7,000 KRW. The Haeundae beachfront BIFF Square fills with outdoor screenings and...
Read More →
Holiday
October 9, 2026
Hangeul Day
Hangeul Day (October 9) is a public holiday celebrating the invention of the Korean alphabet by King Sejong the Great in 1443. Government offices and banks are closed; most tourist attractions, restaurants, and shops operate normally. The National Hangeul Museum near the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan often holds special programs. It is a...
Read More →
Festival
November 1, 2026
Seoul Lantern Festival 2026
Two weeks of illuminated lantern sculptures lining the Cheonggyecheon stream through central Seoul. Each year a different theme shapes the installations — past editions have featured Korean folk tales, zodiac animals, and world cultural heritage sites. Free to walk, best visited after 7 PM when the stream reflections double the effect. The Jongno section near...
Read More →
General
November 11, 2026
Pepero Day
Pepero Day is celebrated on November 11, 2026. The unofficial observance is marked by exchanging chocolate-coated biscuit sticks. It has become a popular commercial and social celebration in Korea.
Read More →
Holiday
December 25, 2026
Christmas Day
Christmas Day (December 25) is a public holiday in Korea and one of the most commercially celebrated dates of the year. While Korea is not a predominantly Christian country, Christmas is widely observed as a festive cultural event — shopping districts like Myeongdong, Hongdae, and Gangnam are heavily decorated and packed with shoppers and couples....
Read More →
