South Korea Public Holidays 2026

 

๐Ÿ“… 2026 South Korea Public Holidays (Official)

DateDayHoliday Name
Jan 1ThuNew Year’s Day (์‹ ์ •)
Jan 31–Feb 2Sat–MonSeollal (Korean Lunar New Year)
Mar 1SunIndependence Movement Day (์‚ผ์ผ์ ˆ)
May 5TueChildren’s Day (์–ด๋ฆฐ์ด๋‚ )
May 18MonBuddha’s Birthday (์„๊ฐ€ํƒ„์‹ ์ผ)
Jun 6SatMemorial Day (ํ˜„์ถฉ์ผ)
Aug 15SatLiberation Day (๊ด‘๋ณต์ ˆ)
Sep 27–29Sun–TueChuseok (์ถ”์„)
Oct 3SatNational Foundation Day (๊ฐœ์ฒœ์ ˆ)
Oct 9FriHangul Day (ํ•œ๊ธ€๋‚ )
Dec 25FriChristmas Day (์„ฑํƒ„์ ˆ)

⭐ Note: Seollal and Chuseok follow the lunar calendar and include additional travel periods.


๐ŸŒ… Major Holidays Explained

๐ŸŽ† New Year’s Day – Jan 1

A global holiday celebrated in Korea with countdowns, bells, and early morning traditions like watching the sunrise.

๐Ÿงง Seollal (Lunar New Year) – Jan 31–Feb 2

One of Korea’s biggest holidays! Families gather, pay respect to ancestors, eat tteokguk (rice cake soup), and wear hanbok.

Travel tip: Transportation and accommodation are extremely busy — book early.

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท Independence Movement Day – Mar 1

Commemorates Korea’s movement for independence from Japanese rule in 1919.

๐Ÿ‘ถ Children’s Day – May 5

Families take children out to theme parks, zoos, and picnics. This is one of Korea’s most popular travel days.

๐Ÿชท Buddha’s Birthday – May 18

Temples across Korea light thousands of lanterns.

๐Ÿช– Memorial Day – Jun 6

A solemn day honoring veterans.

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท Liberation Day – Aug 15

Celebrates Korea’s liberation from Japanese occupation in 1945.

๐Ÿ‚ Chuseok – Sep 27–29

Korean Thanksgiving — family reunions, ancestral rites, and traditional foods like songpyeon.

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท National Foundation Day – Oct 3

Celebrates the legendary founding of Korea.

๐Ÿ…ฐ️ Hangul Day – Oct 9

Honors the creation of Korea’s alphabet, Hangul.

๐ŸŽ„ Christmas Day – Dec 25

Widely celebrated, especially in city areas with festive decorations.


✈️ Travel Tips for Korea Public Holidays

๐Ÿงณ 1. Book Transportation Early

During Seollal and Chuseok, millions travel. Flights, trains, buses, and KTX often sell out.

๐Ÿฑ 2. Expect Restaurant Closures

Smaller restaurants and markets may close during major holidays.

๐Ÿƒ 3. Festivals and Events

Public holidays often include local festivals — great for cultural experiences!

๐Ÿจ 4. Accommodation Sells Out Fast

Book hotels, guesthouses, and Airbnbs early if traveling during peak holiday seasons.

๐Ÿš‰ 5. Enjoy Off-Peak Travel

Visiting just before or after holidays helps avoid crowds and high prices.



Happy travels in 2026!



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