Season guide · Seoul · South Korea
Seoul in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: S h y numis, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Bitterly cold with sub-zero nights and occasional snow, but sunny days, festive lights and lower prices. Expect highs up to 5°C (41°F) and lows around -6°C (21°F), with about 19 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -6°C (21°F) to 5°C (41°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 19
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2°C (36°F) | -6°C (21°F) | 6 | 9.8 h | 2/5 |
| February | 5°C (41°F) | -4°C (25°F) | 6 | 10.8 h | 2/5 |
| December | 4°C (39°F) | -4°C (25°F) | 7 | 9.6 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 4°C (39°F) against a yearly 17°C (63°F), and 19 of the year's roughly 107 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Seollal (Lunar New Year) — family holiday with palace events; some shops close (January or February)
- February: Seollal holiday (January or February)
- February: Jeongwol Daeboreum — first full moon of the lunar year with traditional games (February or March)
- December: Christmas lights on Myeongdong department stores (December)
- December: New Year's Eve bell-ringing at Bosingak pavilion in Jongno (31 December)
Good choices for winter
Market · Jongno
Gwangjang Market
Sit at a counter with a pancake and a bowl of makgeolli; go mid-afternoon on a weekday to avoid the evening crush.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Shopping
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Museum · Yongsan
National Museum of Korea
Korea's largest museum covers the peninsula from the Paleolithic to the Joseon dynasty, with gold crowns from the Silla kingdom, Goryeo celadon and a ten-storey marble pagoda in the main hall.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · Yongsan
War Memorial of Korea
Combine it with the National Museum of Korea, about 15 minutes away by subway or taxi.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Viewpoint · Jamsil
Lotte World Tower and Seoul Sky
Korea's tallest building rises 555 metres over Jamsil, and its Seoul Sky observatory on the top floors has a glass-floored deck over the city.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Kids
- After dark
- Rainy day
Theme park · Jamsil
Lotte World
Weekday mornings outside school holidays have the shortest queues.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Active
Day trips in winter
- Incheon (About 1 hour by subway) — Korea's only official Chinatown, birthplace of jjajangmyeon noodles, sits beside the colourful Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village and Jayu Park; the modern Songdo district has a canal-side Central Park.
- Everland (About 1 hour by express bus) — Korea's largest theme park, in Yongin, combines roller coasters including the wooden T Express, a safari zoo and seasonal flower festivals.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Seoul?
It is a trade-off: Bitterly cold with sub-zero nights and occasional snow, but sunny days, festive lights and lower prices. The best months overall are April–May and September–November.
+What is the weather like in Seoul in winter?
Highs of up to 5°C (41°F) and lows around -6°C (21°F), with about 19 rainy days over the season.