Korea · Season hub
Korea October 2026: Holiday Dates, Festivals and What to Book
Choose the guide that answers your next decision
As of October 19, the Busan International Film Festival (through October 15) and Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival (through October 18) have ended. Check the ended labels in the calendar below; for remaining dates, confirm official operating notices and return transport for your visit.
The two long weekends that decide everything
Ended dates · October 3–5 and 9–11 are three-day weekends. Compare return train seats and accommodation before reserving a programme in Jinju, Busan, Gyeongju or Andong. October 6–8 may suit a weekday trip, but this is a planning option, not a measured quiet period: festival openings and individual programmes can still attract crowds. A weekday does not guarantee short queues.
Ended events and continuing programmes
Gyeongbokgung’s second-half 2026 night viewing (September 2–October 2) has ended. It is not a currently bookable programme. Check the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center for a future session. The autumn Royal Culture Festival (October 7–11) and Changgyeonggung Time Travel (October 9–10) have ended. The separate Mulbit Yeonhwa programme runs October 7–November 1, Wednesday–Sunday at 19:00, 19:30 and 20:00. Scene 2 at Daechundangji requires advance booking.
Palace hours / closures · Royal Culture Festival · 2026
The October calendar, in date order
Everything running between late September and the start of November, with the guide for each.
- Ended dates · 24–26 September · Chuseok holiday — the harvest festival, with Chuseok day on Friday the 25th and a four-day break with the Sunday. Palaces and royal tombs open free over the holiday. Chuseok guide.
- Ended dates · Until 2 October · Gyeongbokgung autumn night viewing — the palace after dark, 19:00–21:30 with last entry 20:30, closed Mondays and Tuesdays, 3,000 won; 300 same-day tickets a day for foreign visitors with a passport. Ends before the foliage. Gyeongbokgung guide.
- Ended dates · Until 4 October · Andong Maskdance Festival — the mask dance and the UNESCO village on the Nakdong River, with free festival areas and separately ticketed performances. Andong guide.
- Ended dates · Until 6 October · Suwon Hwaseong Media Art — projections on the fortress wall at Hwaseomun and Janganmun, an hour from Seoul by metro. Suwon guide.
- Ended dates · 3–5 October · National Foundation Day weekend — Saturday the 3rd is the holiday and Monday the 5th the substitute — the last substitute holiday of 2026 and the month's first rush.
- Ended · 2026-10-03–2026-10-18 — The official dates of the 2026 Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival (October 3–18) have passed. The fees, lighting, floating bridges, shuttle buses and performances below are a record of the 2026 event, not current operating information. Check a new official announcement for the dates and conditions of a future edition. Jinju guide
- 6–15 October · Busan International Film Festival — Korea's biggest film festival around Centum City, with the September booking dates and subtitle checks that decide whether a screening works for you. BIFF guide.
- Ended dates · 7–11 October · Autumn Royal Culture Festival — all four main palaces and Jongmyo: the hanbok procession at Gyeongbokgung on the 9th and 10th, Changgyeonggung's Time Travel and night media art, a Deoksugung exhibition for the centenary of Emperor Sunjong's death, and an opening concert on the 6th at 17:00. Autumn K-Royal Culture Festival 2026: book the right palace experience.
- Ended dates · October 9–11 is the Hangeul Day weekend. Book the specific palace or festival programme you want; do not infer a garden’s flowering or crowd level from the holiday alone.
- The Seoul Silver Grass Festival takes place at Haneul Park on October 17–23, 2026, from 10:00 to 21:00 · Haneul Park: festival dates and cart times
- VISITKOREA’s 2026 foliage forecast, credited to Weatheri, predicts peak colour at Seoraksan on October 25, Bukhansan on November 4 and Naejangsan on November 11. These are weather-dependent forecasts, not observations or a guarantee for your booking date. It does not specify individual peak dates for Seoul streets, palaces or Nami Island.
Booking, crowds and the things still without a date
The Seoul Silver Grass Festival takes place at Haneul Park on October 17–23, 2026, from 10:00 to 21:00. Seoul’s detailed notice confirms the full period. Check individual programmes and the separate cart timetable before an evening visit. This calendar does not confirm the 2026 Suncheon reed festival dates.
The month at a glance
| Public holidays | Chuseok: holiday Thu 24 – Sat 26 September, Chuseok day Fri 25; Mon 28 September is a normal working day. National Foundation Day: Sat 3 October, with the substitute holiday Mon 5 October — the last substitute holiday of 2026. Hangeul Day: Fri 9 October, no substitute, giving a three-day weekend to the 11th. |
|---|---|
| Book now | Remaining dates: BIFF through 15 October, Jinju Lantern Festival through 18 October, Seoul Silver Grass Festival 17–23 October. Do not book as though the Chuseok/Hangeul holiday weekends or Andong/Suwon events were still ahead. |
| Festival details to check | The Seoul Silver Grass Festival takes place at Haneul Park on October 17–23, 2026, from 10:00 to 21:00 |
| Coming in November | The Weatheri forecast published by VISITKOREA predicts peak colour on 4 November at Bukhansan and 11 November at Naejangsan. These are forecasts, not observations or guarantees; recheck weather and conditions for a November trip. |
October 19 update: advance applications for Jeongdong Culture Night closed on October 16 at 18:00, and selection notices were published on the 19th. The event is October 30–31. Applicants should check the official notice and individual instructions. BIFF ended on October 15. This does not establish live availability or confirm any individual participant’s entry. 2026-10-19 · Official results
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Quick answers
What are the public holidays in Korea in October 2026?
National Foundation Day on Saturday 3 October, with a substitute holiday on Monday 5 October — the last substitute holiday of 2026 — and Hangeul Day on Friday 9 October, which needs no substitute. That makes two three-day weekends: 3–5 and 9–11 October. Chuseok falls just before, on 24–26 September.
Which festivals are on in Korea in October 2026?
As of October 19, the Busan International Film Festival (through October 15) and Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival (through October 18) have ended. Check the ended labels in the calendar below; for remaining dates, confirm official operating notices and return transport for your visit.
When is peak autumn foliage in Korea in 2026?
VISITKOREA’s 2026 foliage forecast, credited to Weatheri, predicts peak colour at Seoraksan on October 25, Bukhansan on November 4 and Naejangsan on November 11. These are weather-dependent forecasts, not observations or a guarantee for your booking date. It does not specify individual peak dates for Seoul streets, palaces or Nami Island.
Can I see a palace at night in October?
Gyeongbokgung’s second-half 2026 night viewing (September 2–October 2) has ended. It is not a currently bookable programme. Check the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center for a future session. The autumn Royal Culture Festival (October 7–11) and Changgyeonggung Time Travel (October 9–10) have ended. The separate Mulbit Yeonhwa programme runs October 7–November 1, Wednesday–Sunday at 19:00, 19:30 and 20:00. Scene 2 at Daechundangji requires advance booking.
When is the quietest time to travel in October 2026?
October 3–5 and 9–11 are three-day weekends. Compare return train seats and accommodation before reserving a programme in Jinju, Busan, Gyeongju or Andong. October 6–8 may suit a weekday trip, but this is a planning option, not a measured quiet period: festival openings and individual programmes can still attract crowds. A weekday does not guarantee short queues.
Sources & data: 2026 Korean public-holiday calendar · Edaily, 2026 Autumn Royal Culture Festival announcement · Royal Culture Festival (official) · Gyeongbokgung night viewing, 2nd half 2026 (official ticket listing) · Seoul Parks · 2026 event list · Seoul Parks · 2025 notice (September 28) · Seoul · 2026 · Palace hours / closures · VISITKOREA · holidays · VISITKOREA / Weatheri · 2026 · Jeongdong Culture Night · application deadlines · BIFF · 2026 dates
Schedules and prices can change; use the linked official notices for your travel date. Route choices and time allowances are editorial suggestions.
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