South Korea
Gangneung in January
🧥 WinterCold and mostly dry.
🎒 Pack: winter coat, gloves & hat
Why January scores 8.0What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort6.8
- !Cold (5°C highs / -3°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point -3.9°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~48 mm rain)
- Air quality8.5
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~14 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline9.0
- ·Normal precautions
| Jan | May | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.0 Very good | 9.1 Excellent |
| Season | 🧥 Winter | 🌷 Spring |
| High / low | 5° / -3° | 23° / 13° |
| Rain | 48 mm | 79 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt -4° | dew pt 10° |
| PM2.5 | 14 µg/m³ | 19 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Gangneung weather-station normals. Rainfall: Gangneung weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsJanuary 2027
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- New Year 1–3 Jan · 3 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Nature calendarBlossoms, leaves & seasons in Gangneung
- Snowy daysIn JanuaryTypical datesSnow likely Dec–Mar (most in Jan: ~6 days)
Average number of days with snowfall at Gangneung.
Source: Gangneung weather-station normals (national weather service, via Wikipedia climate table)
- 2026 forecast: Odaesan autumn leaves2026 forecastPeak ~16–25 Oct 2026
Odaesan National Park is about 40 minutes from Gangneung.
- Cherry blossomTypical datesFirst blooms ~4 Apr, full bloom about a week later
Typical first-bloom date at the Gangneung weather-station tree (KMA 1991–2020 normal). In 2025 the first blooms came on 1 Apr; recent years have mostly been earlier than the normal. Weather i and KMA publish the next year's outlook in late February.
Source: Weather i 2026 cherry blossom outlook (KMA normals and 2025 dates)
Explore GangneungEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyA city on Korea's east coast with long beaches, a well-known coffee street, Joseon-era heritage houses and the UNESCO-recognised Danoje festival.
New Year sunriseEvery year1 January every year
Crowds gather on the east coast beaches to watch the first sunrise of the year.
Why go: Roads and trains are extremely busy; book transport and lodging early.
Where: Jeongdongjin and Gyeongpo Beach
Coming up later
Gangneung Danoje FestivalDate variesLunar calendar — around the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, usually late May to June
A UNESCO-listed festival of shamanic rites, mask drama, ssireum wrestling and a large market.
Why go: One of Korea's oldest and largest traditional festivals; free to attend.
Where: Along the Namdaecheon riverside
Gangneung Coffee FestivalDate variesUsually in October
A festival celebrating the city's coffee culture with roasteries, tastings and workshops.
Why go: Dates vary each year; check before going.
Where: Gangneung
Gyeongpo Beach and Gyeongpoho Lake
A long sandy beach beside a lagoon, with cherry-blossom paths around the lake in spring.
💡 Beaches are officially open for swimming only in summer, roughly July to August.
Anmok Coffee Street
A seafront strip of cafés that made Gangneung known as a coffee city.
Ojukheon
The birthplace of Joseon scholar Yi I (Yulgok) and artist Shin Saimdang, both pictured on Korean banknotes.
Seongyojang House
A large, well-preserved Joseon-era aristocratic residence.
Jeongdongjin
A coastal village known for its railway station right by the sea and as a popular sunrise spot.
Jumunjin Fish Market
A large fishing port market selling fresh and dried seafood.
Chodang sundubu
Soft tofu traditionally made with seawater as a coagulant, a Gangneung specialty.
💡 Chodang Sundubu Village
Sundubu jjamppong
Spicy noodle-style soup combined with soft tofu, a local twist.
💡 Chodang Sundubu Village
Fresh raw fish (hoe)
Raw fish and seafood straight from the East Sea.
💡 Jumunjin port and seafront restaurants
Coffee
Local roasteries and cafés are central to the city's identity.
💡 Anmok Coffee Street
Coffee beans
Roasted beans from local roasteries.
💡 Cafés along Anmok and around the city
Dried seafood
Dried squid, fish and seaweed from the East Sea.
💡 Jumunjin Fish Market