November 2026 in South Korea at a glance: there are no public holidays this month (the next one is Christmas, Fri Dec 25). Seoul averages roughly 3–12 °C (37–53 °F), fall color hangs on in Seoul and the south into early–mid November, the Busan Fireworks Festival is Sat Nov 7, and the national college entrance exam (Suneung) is Thu Nov 19 — a quiet, late-starting morning worth planning around.
November 2026 dates at a glance
What
When (KST)
What it means for your trip
Public holidays
None in November 2026
Banks and government offices keep normal weekday hours (except a late start on Suneung day)
Busan Fireworks Festival
Sat Nov 7
Gwangalli Beach area — expect very large crowds
Pepero Day
Wed Nov 11
Not a holiday — convenience stores pile up stick-snack gift boxes
Suneung (college entrance exam)
Thu Nov 19
Later morning rush, quiet zones near schools, a short nationwide pause in flights during the English listening section
Korea in November 2026: Weather, Foliage & Suneung Day · Kravel
Seoul Autumn Festival (performing arts)
Through Sun Nov 29
Shows across the city — book per performance
Seoul Lantern Festival
Not in November
Seoul lists it for December 2026 (dates not announced yet)
Next public holiday
Fri Dec 25 (Christmas)
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Holiday status checked against Visit Korea — Public Holidays and KASI’s 2026 calendar data on 8 Oct 2026 (KST). Event dates can change — use the official links in Sources before you book anything non-refundable.
Weather and what to wear
November is the month Korea turns from crisp autumn into early winter. Early November usually still feels like fall; by late November, mornings can be near freezing.
City (1991–2020 normals)
Avg high
Avg low
Rain
Rainy days
Seoul
11.9 °C (53 °F)
3.5 °C (38 °F)
51 mm
~9
Busan
16.6 °C (62 °F)
8.3 °C (47 °F)
50 mm
~6
*Climate averages, not a forecast* (WMO World Weather Information Service, data from the Korea Meteorological Administration). Check the KMA forecast a few days out.
What to pack
Layers over one big coat: a warm base layer, a sweater or fleece, and a windproof jacket. In late November, a light down jacket or wool coat earns its space.
Mornings and evenings are the cold part. A day that peaks at 12 °C can start near 3 °C — and riverside parks and mountain trails feel colder.
Comfortable walking shoes with some grip — fallen leaves on stone steps and trails get slippery after rain.
Busan and the south coast run milder than Seoul; mountains run colder than cities.
Short days: sunset comes before 6 pm all month, so start outdoor plans earlier.
Air quality varies day to day — check AirKorea if you are sensitive to fine dust.
Fall foliage in November: where it is still on
Most of Korea’s mountains peak in late October, so November is about Seoul’s parks and palaces, the southwest, and Jeju. The Korea Forest Service’s 2026 foliage peak forecast (published 22 Sep 2026; “peak” = about 50% of leaves turned) puts the national average for maples and oaks at Oct 31 and ginkgo at Oct 30.
Forecast peaks that fall in early–mid November (maples):
Spot
Region
Forecast peak
Gyeryongsan
Chungcheong
~Nov 1
Seoul Botanic Park
Seoul
~Nov 2
Naejangsan
North Jeolla
~Nov 4
Byeonsan Peninsula
North Jeolla
~Nov 4
Hallasan (1100-ro)
Jeju
~Nov 6
Daegu Arboretum
Daegu
~Nov 6
Gyeongnam Arboretum
South Gyeongsang
~Nov 8
Wolchulsan
South Jeolla
~Nov 9
Duryunsan
South Jeolla (Haenam)
~Nov 11
Halla Arboretum
Jeju
~Nov 19
Likely past peak by November: Seoraksan (~Oct 20), Jirisan (~Oct 27) and Songnisan (~Oct 28). You may still catch color lower down, but don’t build a November trip around them.
Forecasts are estimates. Peak color lasts days rather than weeks, and one windy, rainy day can strip a hillside. Treat the dates as a window of a few days either side.
### Seoul spots from the city’s foliage-walk lists
Seoul Metropolitan Government publishes lists of autumn foliage walks. Easy picks:
Deoksugung-gil (the stone-wall road by Deoksugung Palace) — city-center maples, next to museums and cafés.
Samcheongdong-gil — ginkgo and zelkova near Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Namsan walking paths — car-free paths on the mountain in the middle of the city.
Seoul Forest — a ginkgo grove by the Han River.
Seokchon Lake (Songpanaru Park) and Olympic Park — big, flat, family-friendly loops in the southeast.
Haneul Park and Yangjae Citizen’s Forest (metasequoia) for a quieter afternoon.
Pick one or two in the same part of town; see Seoul areas for where they sit.
### Tips for leaf-peeping days
Go on a weekday morning if you can — famous parks get crowded on peak weekends, and so do the trains and buses to them.
National park trails: Korea’s national parks close some trails each autumn for wildfire prevention, usually from mid-November to mid-December. 2026 closures are posted by the Korea National Park Service — check the specific trail before you go.
Book intercity seats early for weekend trips to Naejangsan, Jeju or the south coast. Use Korail English booking and bus apps; see Essential apps.
Kravel doesn’t have a dedicated foliage guide yet; this section covers November only.
Events and things on the calendar
### Busan Fireworks Festival — Sat Nov 7
The organizer lists the 21st festival on Sat Nov 7, 2026, around Gwangalli Beach, Igidae and Dongbaekseom. Expect very heavy crowds, packed subways before and after the show, and hotels near Gwangalli and Haeundae filling early. Paid seating is sold through the official channels, with regular tickets on NOL Ticket until Fri Nov 6, 5 pm; free beach-side viewing tends to fill up well before the show. If you’re not going for the fireworks, that’s a weekend to avoid booking a Busan beach hotel at the last minute.
### Seoul Autumn Festival — through Nov 29
A city-run performing-arts season with shows at venues across Seoul. Check each performance for dates, language and tickets.
### Halloween season runs into November
The theme-park Halloween festivals carry on into November: Lotte World Adventure to Nov 15 and Everland to Nov 22. See Halloween in Korea for programs and crowd-safety tips.
### Kimjang season
Late November into December is when many Korean families make the winter’s kimchi (kimjang). You’ll see huge stacks of napa cabbage at markets and supermarkets. Some districts and markets run hands-on kimjang events; we haven’t confirmed 2026 festival dates, so check local listings closer to the time.
### Pepero Day — Wed Nov 11
An unofficial, snack-company-driven “day” when friends and couples swap chocolate-dipped stick snacks. Shops go all out; nothing closes.
### Seoul Lantern Festival — December, not November
Last season the lantern festival along Cheonggyecheon ran from mid-December 2025 to mid-January 2026. Seoul’s festival portal lists the 2026 edition for December (dates not yet announced), and the city lists its Seoul Winter Festa from Mon Dec 14, 2026 to Sun Jan 31, 2027.
Suneung day — Thu Nov 19
The 2027 College Scholastic Ability Test (Suneung) is on Thu Nov 19, 2026 (Ministry of Education / KICE). Hundreds of thousands of students sit it on the same day (about 554,000 in 2025), and the whole country quietly makes room.
What happened on exam day in 2025 (the 2026 measures are usually announced about a week before — check the news that week):
Later morning rush: the government asked public offices and companies to start at 10 am or later, and added subway trains in the Seoul area during the students’ commute (about 6:00–8:10 am). Banks also opened an hour late in 2025.
Traffic near schools: cars were restricted within about 200 m of test sites, and buses and trains near schools slowed down and avoided honking.
Flights paused during the listening test: takeoffs and landings were adjusted nationwide during the English listening section (about 1:10–1:35 pm); news reports put the full pause at about 1:05–1:40 pm. If you fly that day, a departure or arrival near that window may be retimed — check with your airline.
For your trip: avoid early-morning taxis and intercity departures that day if you can, expect some offices and banks to open late, keep noise down around schools, and give yourself extra time if you’re flying in or out around midday.
Intercity: foliage weekends and Busan’s fireworks weekend (Nov 7–8) are the busy ones. Book early; otherwise stay in one base city. Start with Seoul hub.
No public holidays in November 2026 — normal opening hours apply (still check each venue).
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Pack layers + a warm outer layer; expect near-freezing mornings by late month.
3
For foliage, aim at Seoul parks (~early Nov), Naejangsan (~Nov 4), Jeju (~Nov 6) or the far southwest (~Nov 9–11) — and stay flexible by a few days.
4
Busan Sat Nov 7: book early or avoid that weekend.
5
Thu Nov 19 (Suneung): expect a late morning rush and a short midday flight pause; check your airline if you fly that day.
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Check national park trail closures if you plan a mountain hike after mid-November.
Ask the community
Planning a November trip to Korea? Share your dates and base city on the Ask board — a quick reality check on foliage timing or Busan crowds beats a copied itinerary.
Tip
Planning overview only. Forecasts, event dates, transport rules and venue hours change — prefer the official links in Sources, and treat foliage dates as estimates.
