Best time to visit Korea
Korea has four clear seasons. Spring and autumn are mild and mostly dry, summer is hot with a rainy season, and winter is cold and clear, milder in Busan and on Jeju.
Seasons to plan around
- Cherry blossoms
- Usually late March in Jeju and Busan, early April in Seoul. Bloom dates and festivals →
- Rainy season (jangma)
- Usually late June to late July; July is the wettest month in Seoul.
- Autumn foliage
- Usually late October to early November in Seoul’s palaces and parks.
- Busiest times
- April–May, October, the July–August school holidays, and the Seollal and Chuseok holidays, when trains sell out.
Bloom and foliage dates move by a week or more each year; check the forecast closer to your trip.
Month by month
| Month | Avg temp °CSeoul · Busan · Jeju | Rain mmSeoul · Busan · Jeju | What it’s like · suggested plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | -1.9° · 3.6° · 6.1° | 17 · 35 · 68 | Coldest month; clear, dry days, palaces and markets without crowds. 3 days in Seoul → Winter guide → |
| February | 0.7° · 5.4° · 6.8° | 28 · 50 · 57 | Still cold. Seollal (Lunar New Year) falls in late January or February; trains fill up. 3 days in Seoul → Winter guide → |
| March | 6.1° · 9.1° · 9.8° | 37 · 90 · 91 | Spring arrives; blossoms open in Jeju and Busan late in the month. 10 days in Korea → |
| April | 12.6° · 13.8° · 14.2° | 73 · 141 · 90 | Cherry blossoms in Seoul, usually early in the month. Busy and popular. 7 days in Korea → |
| May | 18.2° · 17.9° · 18.3° | 104 · 156 · 96 | Warm and mostly dry; one of the best months for all three cities. 10 days in Korea → |
| June | 22.7° · 21.0° · 21.7° | 130 · 188 · 171 | Early summer; the rainy season (jangma) usually starts late in the month. 10 days in Korea → |
| July | 25.3° · 24.4° · 26.2° | 414 · 327 · 210 | Rainy season and the wettest month in Seoul; hot and humid. Plan indoor time. 4 days in Seoul → |
| August | 26.1° · 26.1° · 27.2° | 348 · 267 · 272 | Hottest month and school holidays; Busan’s beaches are at their busiest. 7 days in Korea → |
| September | 21.6° · 22.6° · 23.3° | 142 · 161 · 228 | Heat eases; typhoons are possible. Chuseok (harvest holiday) is in September or early October. 7 days in Korea → |
| October | 15.0° · 17.9° · 18.6° | 52 · 80 · 95 | Clear, mild and dry; autumn colour starts in the mountains late in the month. 10 days in Korea → |
| November | 7.5° · 11.9° · 13.3° | 51 · 50 · 70 | Autumn foliage in Seoul’s palaces and parks, usually late October to early November. 5 days in Korea → |
| December | 0.2° · 5.8° · 8.3° | 23 · 34 · 56 | Cold and dry, with Christmas lights in the city. 3 days in Seoul → Winter guide → |
Monthly mean temperature and precipitation at the Seoul, Busan and Jeju City stations. Source: KMA 1991–2020 climate normals (checked against the KMA report). Checked Oct 4, 2026.
Sources
Questions
What is the best time to visit Korea?
Spring (April to May) and autumn (September to November) are the most comfortable: Seoul averages 18.2 °C (65 °F) in May and 15.0 °C (59 °F) in October, with little rain. Summer is hot and wet, and winter is cold but clear.
When do cherry blossoms bloom in Korea?
Usually late March in Jeju and Busan and early April in Seoul. Exact dates move by a week or more each year, so check the forecast closer to your trip.
When is the rainy season in Korea?
The rainy season (jangma) usually runs from late June to late July. July is Seoul’s wettest month, with about 414 mm of rain on average, and typhoons can follow in August and September.