South Korea, Asia

Seoul in October

Peak Seoul: hiking weather on Bukhansan, ginkgo gold beginning late month, and festival season across the city.

BestCrisp and blue, highs near 67F (19C)

Geunjeongjeon throne hall at Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul — SeoulPhoto: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0

The straight answer

October is one of the best months of the year to visit Seoul. Peak Seoul: hiking weather on Bukhansan, ginkgo gold beginning late month, and festival season across the city.

Weather: Crisp and blue, highs near 67F (19C)
Crowds: 3 of 5
Prices: 3 of 5

What October is like in Seoul

October is peak Seoul. Days are crisp and blue, with highs near 67F (19C). It is hiking weather on Bukhansan, festival season across the city, and late in the month the ginkgo trees begin to turn gold. Crowds and prices are moderate. Chuseok can fall in early October in some years.

This month suits everyone: families on fall break, hikers, couples, and first-time visitors. It is one of the two best months of the year. Book popular tours and the Secret Garden ahead. If you miss October, early November still has great fall color.

Make the most of October

What is especially good about Seoul this month.

Fall foliage begins

Late October brings ginkgo gold and palace maples. Day trips to Naejangsan and Seoraksan draw big leaf-viewing crowds.

Hiking Bukhansan

Clear, cool days make October the best time for a hike on the mountain at the city's edge.

Secret Garden in autumn

Changdeokgung's rear garden is especially pretty as the leaves turn. Book the guided entry well ahead.

What to pack for October

A light jacket and sweater
Hiking shoes or sturdy sneakers
Sunglasses for bright blue days
A warm layer for cool evenings

Our timing tip

For fall color, aim for the last week of October into early November, and book the Secret Garden tour as soon as slots open.

Book Seoul for October.

Sponsored links to Expedia and Vrbo. We may earn a commission; it never changes a verdict.

Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Seoul
Opens a hotel search for Seoul in October, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for October
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Seoul
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Seoul
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Seoul for October. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in October

Chuseok

September or early October, date follows the lunar calendar

The harvest festival works like a second New Year: several days of hometown travel, closures at small shops, and festive palace programs.

Fall foliage season

Late October into early November

Ginkgo avenues and palace maples peak; Naejangsan and Seoraksan day trips draw serious leaf-viewing crowds.

Things to do in Seoul

Full guide

Gyeongbokgung Palace

The grandest of the five palaces. Catch the changing of the guard, and note most palaces close one day a week (Gyeongbokgung on Tuesdays).

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Changdeokgung's Secret Garden

The UNESCO-listed rear garden is by guided entry with capped numbers; book ahead, especially for fall color.

Tickets and tours →

Bukchon Hanok Village

Traditional homes on a hillside between the palaces. It is a residential neighborhood: go early, keep voices down, and the photos come easy.

Tickets and tours →

Gwangjang Market

Bindaetteok pancakes, knife-cut noodles, and the famous fabric hall upstairs. Lunch here beats any food tour.

Tickets and tours →

N Seoul Tower and the Namsan walk

Ride the cable car up, walk down through the park at dusk as the city lights come on.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

DMZ tour

The border with North Korea, about an hour out, visited on regulated tours that book out ahead. Sobering, strange, and singular.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

See the palaces at 9am opening or in the last two hours; midday belongs to tour groups, and Bukchon's lanes are quietest before breakfast.
For cherry blossoms, walk Yeouido at sunrise or choose quieter stretches along the Han River tributaries over the festival core.
Never plan intercity travel during Seollal or Chuseok without tickets booked the moment they release; those are the country's two travel crushes.
Book the Secret Garden, DMZ tours, and popular Korean barbecue houses days to weeks ahead in spring and fall.

Know before you go

Seollal and Chuseok (dates shift yearly on the lunar calendar) close many small restaurants and shops for two to four days while department stores shorten hours; major palaces and museums typically stay open with holiday programming.
Most royal palaces close one day a week (Gyeongbokgung on Tuesdays, most others on Mondays); pair your palace days accordingly.
The jangma monsoon (roughly late June through July) cancels outdoor plans without notice; Seoul's answer is an unmatched indoor bench of museums, malls, and saunas.
DMZ tours run on government schedules and can suspend without warning when border conditions change; book refundable and early in your stay so a canceled day can slide.

Seoul in October, quick answers

Is October a good time to visit Seoul?

October is one of the best months of the year to visit Seoul. Peak Seoul: hiking weather on Bukhansan, ginkgo gold beginning late month, and festival season across the city.

What is the weather like in Seoul in October?

Crisp and blue, highs near 67F (19C).

Is Seoul crowded in October?

Crowds in Seoul are moderate in October; timed bookings still help at the biggest sights.

What is happening in Seoul in October?

Chuseok (september or early october, date follows the lunar calendar); Fall foliage season (late october into early november).