01Verdict
When to go, in short
Seoul has four sharp seasons, and spring and autumn are the ones to aim for. Cherry blossom in early April and autumn foliage in late October are the most beautiful weeks and the busiest. Summer brings the jangma monsoon in late June and July followed by heat and humidity into August. Winter is bitterly cold and dry, with temperatures well below freezing in January, but sunny and far cheaper, and the city's underground malls, saunas and barbecue restaurants are built for it.
Watch the lunar calendar: Seollal and Chuseok close many businesses for three days each, sell out intercity trains and make the palaces free and crowded. The five royal palaces close on different weekdays, Gyeongbokgung on Tuesdays and the others on Mondays, and wearing hanbok gets you in free. The subway is the fastest way around and runs until about midnight. For the best weather at a fair price, take May after Children's Day or the first half of October outside Chuseok.
02Weather
Seoul weather by month
04Compare
Month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Sun h | Daylight | Crowds | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul in January | 3 °C / 37 °F | -5 °C | – | – | 9.9 h | quiet | Good |
| Seoul in February | 6 °C / 42 °F | -3 °C | – | – | 10.8 h | quiet | Good |
| Seoul in March | 13 °C / 56 °F | 3 °C | – | – | 11.9 h | moderate | Good |
| Seoul in April | 20 °C / 67 °F | 9 °C | – | – | 13.2 h | very busy | Good |
| Seoul in May | 24 °C / 75 °F | 14 °C | – | – | 14.2 h | busy | Excellent |
| Seoul in June | 28 °C / 83 °F | 20 °C | 17 | – | 14.7 h | moderate | Good |
| Seoul in July | 31 °C / 87 °F | 24 °C | 20 | – | 14.5 h | quiet | Mixed |
| Seoul in August | 31 °C / 88 °F | 25 °C | 19 | – | 13.6 h | moderate | Mixed |
| Seoul in September | 27 °C / 81 °F | 19 °C | – | – | 12.4 h | busy | Excellent |
| Seoul in October | 20 °C / 68 °F | 11 °C | – | – | 11.2 h | very busy | Good |
| Seoul in November | 13 °C / 56 °F | 4 °C | – | – | 10.2 h | moderate | Good |
| Seoul in December | 4 °C / 39 °F | -4 °C | 11 | – | 9.6 h | moderate | Mixed |
08Pick a month