South Korea
Seoul in December
🧥 WinterCold and mostly dry.
🎒 Pack: winter coat, gloves & hat
Why December scores 7.7What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort6.8
- !Cold (4°C highs / -3°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point -4.5°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~23 mm rain)
- Air quality6.8
- !Elevated (PM2.5 ~26 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline9.0
- ·Normal precautions
| Dec | Oct | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 7.7 Very good | 8.9 Excellent |
| Season | 🧥 Winter | 🍂 Autumn |
| High / low | 4° / -3° | 20° / 11° |
| Rain | 23 mm | 52 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt -4° | dew pt 10° |
| PM2.5 | 26 µg/m³ | 19 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Seoul weather-station normals. Rainfall: Seoul weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas Day 25–27 Dec · 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 Seoul
- Snowy daysIn DecemberTypical datesSnow likely Nov–Mar (most in Jan: ~7 days)
Average number of days with snowfall at Seoul.
Source: Seoul weather-station normals (national weather service, via Wikipedia climate table)
- 2026 forecast: autumn leaves (central Korea)2026 forecastPeak ~31 Oct–5 Nov 2026
Forecast for the central region; first colour 10–27 Oct.
- Cherry blossomTypical datesFirst blooms ~8 Apr, full bloom ~10 Apr
Typical dates at the KMA Seoul observatory tree (normal). In 2026 the first blooms came on 29 Mar; Yeouido's Yunjung-ro usually flowers ~6 Apr. Recent years have been earlier than the normal.
Explore SeoulEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallySouth Korea's capital, mixing Joseon-era palaces and hanok neighbourhoods with K-pop, street food markets and late-night shopping districts.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
Cherry blossom seasonDate variesUsually early April
Cherry trees bloom across the city for about a week.
Why go: Popular spots are crowded on weekends.
Where: Yeouido, Seokchon Lake and parks
Lotus Lantern FestivalDate variesLunar calendar — the weeks before Buddha's Birthday, usually April or May
A large evening lantern parade and street events.
Why go: Free to watch; the parade route gets crowded.
Where: Jogyesa Temple and Jongno
ChuseokDate variesLunar calendar — usually September or early October
The harvest festival, when families gather for ancestral rites.
Why go: Many shops close and transport out of Seoul is busy; palaces may hold events.
Where: Nationwide
Gyeongbokgung Palace
The largest of Seoul's Joseon-era palaces, with a changing of the guard ceremony at the main gate.
Bukchon Hanok Village
A hillside neighbourhood of traditional Korean houses between two palaces.
💡 People live here; keep noise down.
Changdeokgung and the Secret Garden
A UNESCO-listed palace with a wooded rear garden seen on guided tours.
N Seoul Tower
A tower on Namsan mountain with city views, reached by cable car or a walk.
Gwangjang Market
A traditional market known for its street food stalls.
DMZ tours
Guided tours to the border zone with North Korea.
💡 Bring your passport; tours can be cancelled at short notice.
Korean barbecue
Pork belly or beef grilled at the table and wrapped in lettuce.
💡 Barbecue restaurants
Bibimbap
Rice topped with vegetables, meat, egg and chilli paste.
💡 Korean restaurants
Tteokbokki
Chewy rice cakes in a sweet and spicy sauce.
💡 Street stalls
Bindaetteok
Crispy mung bean pancakes.
💡 Gwangjang Market
Hotteok
Pancakes filled with brown sugar and nuts, a winter street snack.
💡 Street stalls
Korean skincare
Cosmetics and skincare products.
💡 Myeongdong
Red ginseng
Korean red ginseng products.
💡 Department stores and specialist shops
Traditional crafts
Hanji paper and celadon ceramics.
💡 Insadong
Seasoned seaweed
Roasted seasoned gim, a popular snack.
💡 Supermarkets