South Korea, Asia

Seoul in September

The humidity breaks and Seoul's best season begins. Chuseok lands in September many years: palaces run festive programs while small shops close for a few days.

BestClearing and comfortable, highs near 79F (26C)

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

The straight answer

September is one of the best months of the year to visit Seoul. The humidity breaks and Seoul's best season begins. Chuseok lands in September many years: palaces run festive programs while small shops close for a few days.

Weather: Clearing and comfortable, highs near 79F (26C)
Crowds: 3 of 5
Prices: 3 of 5

What September is like in Seoul

September is when the humidity breaks and Seoul's best season begins. Highs fall to about 79F (26C) and skies clear. Crowds and prices are moderate. In many years Chuseok, the harvest festival, lands in September; palaces run festive programs, while many small shops close for a few days.

This month suits everyone, from first-timers to families. The weather is comfortable for palaces, markets, and walks. Check the Chuseok dates, since intercity travel sells out and some restaurants close. If Chuseok falls in your window and you want a normal city, adjust by a week.

Make the most of September

What is especially good about Seoul this month.

Clearing, comfortable days

After the summer steam, September's dry, sunny weather is ideal for long walking days.

Chuseok palace programs

When the harvest festival falls this month, the palaces host holiday activities and families visit in hanbok.

Hanbok rental

Renting hanbok earns free palace entry, and the milder weather makes it comfortable to wear all day.

What to pack for September

Light layers for warm days and cooler evenings
Comfortable walking shoes
Sunglasses and sunscreen
A light rain jacket for the odd shower

Our timing tip

Look up the year's Chuseok dates before booking, and book any train travel the moment tickets release if you plan to leave Seoul that week.

Book Seoul for September.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Seoul
Opens a hotel search for Seoul in September, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for September
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 September. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in September

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.

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.