Korean Holidays: Chuseok, Seollal & More — An International Student's Complete Guide | Admissions.kr

Holidays in Korea Are Different From What You Expect

If you come from a country where holidays mean sleeping in, binge-watching shows, and maybe a family dinner, Korean holidays will surprise you. Some are deeply solemn — ancestors are honored with elaborate rituals passed down for centuries. Others are explosively festive — entire cities transform into party zones with fireworks, traditional performances, and street food festivals.

As an international student, Korean holidays offer some of the best opportunities to experience authentic Korean culture. They're also when campuses empty out, restaurants close, and you might find yourself alone in a dormitory if you haven't planned ahead.

This guide covers every major Korean holiday, what to expect, what to do if you're staying on campus, and the cultural significance behind each celebration.

The Big Two: Seollal and Chuseok

Seollal (설날) — Lunar New Year

When: First day of the Lunar calendar (usually late January to mid-February) Duration: 3 days (the day before, the day itself, the day after) 2026 date: February 17 (with February 16–18 as official holidays)

Seollal is Korea's most important traditional holiday. If Christmas is the emotional heart of Western culture, Seollal holds that position in Korea.

What happens:

Sebae (세배): The centerpiece ritual. Family members, dressed in hanbok (traditional clothing), perform deep bows to elders — literally kneeling on the floor and touching their forehead to their hands. Elders respond with words of wisdom and cash gifts (세뱃돈/sebaetdon).
Ancestral rites (제사/jesa): Families prepare elaborate food offerings for deceased ancestors. The ritual is precise — specific foods in specific positions, performed in a specific order.
Tteokguk (떡국): Rice cake soup that everyone eats on Seollal morning. Eating it symbolizes gaining a year of age.
Traditional games: Yutnori (윷놀이/a board game with throwing sticks), neolttwigi (seesaw jumping), and jegichagi (hacky sack-style kicking).

The Great Migration: Approximately 30–35 million Koreans travel during Seollal weekend. Highway drives from Seoul to Busan that normally take 4 hours can take 12. KTX and bus tickets sell out weeks in advance.

For international students:

Campus will be nearly empty. Most Korean students go home.
Many restaurants close for 2–3 days. Stock up on groceries.
Some universities host Seollal events for international students — check with your international office.
If a Korean friend invites you to their family's Seollal celebration, this is an extraordinary honor. Accept enthusiastically and bring a small gift (fruit box or bakery set).
Seoul's palaces (Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung) often offer free admission and traditional cultural programs during Seollal.

Chuseok (추석) — Korean Thanksgiving

When: 15th day of the 8th lunar month (usually September or early October) Duration: 3 days 2026 date: October 3 (with October 2–4 as official holidays)

If Seollal is about hierarchy and duty, Chuseok is about abundance and gratitude. It falls during the harvest season, and the celebrations reflect the bounty of autumn.

What happens:

Songpyeon (송편): Half-moon shaped rice cakes filled with sesame, chestnut, or red bean. Families make them together, and there's a belief that whoever makes the prettiest songpyeon will find a beautiful spouse.
Ancestral rites (차례/charye): Similar to Seollal but performed in the morning rather than the evening, with seasonal offerings.
Grave visits (성묘/seongmyo): Families visit ancestors' graves to clean, trim grass, and pay respects. This is a major logistical undertaking as many graves are in the countryside.
Full Moon viewing: Chuseok falls on a full moon. Traditionally, people watched the moon and made wishes. Many parks and palaces host moonlight events.

For international students:

Similar to Seollal — campus empties, restaurants close.
The weather is typically beautiful (September/October in Korea is mild and clear).
This is an excellent time for solo travel if you stay — tourist sites are open and less crowded once the family-oriented celebrations end.
Join a songpyeon-making event if your university offers one. It's hands-on, fun, and deeply cultural.

National Holidays Throughout the Year

New Year's Day (신정) — January 1

Unlike Seollal, the Western New Year is a relatively low-key holiday in Korea. Most people get one day off. The main activity is watching the sunrise — Jeongdongjin on the east coast and Haeundae Beach in Busan are famous sunrise-watching spots.

Independence Movement Day (삼일절) — March 1

Commemorates the March 1, 1919 independence movement against Japanese colonial rule. Flags fly from buildings nationwide, and ceremonies are held at historical sites. Students receive a day off. Some Koreans wear hanbok or display flags on their homes.

Children's Day (어린이날) — May 5

One of Korea's happiest holidays. Parks, amusement parks, and kid-friendly venues run special events. As a university student, you get the day off but won't find much specifically for adults. That said, many couples and friend groups use it as an excuse for a fun outing.

Memorial Day (현충일) — June 6

Honors soldiers who died in the Korean War and other conflicts. A moment of silence is observed nationwide at 10:00 AM. This is a solemn holiday — a good time to visit the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul or the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan.

Liberation Day (광복절) — August 15

Celebrates Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule in 1945. Flags are everywhere. Political speeches and ceremonies mark the day. It's also a day when discussions about Korea-Japan relations become particularly prominent.

National Foundation Day (개천절) — October 3

Commemorates the mythological founding of the first Korean kingdom, Gojoseon, by Dangun in 2333 BCE. Ceremonies take place at Chamseongdan altar on Ganghwa Island and at various shrines nationwide.

Hangeul Day (한글날) — October 9

Celebrates the invention of the Korean alphabet by King Sejong the Great in 1443. For language enthusiasts, this is a fascinating holiday — museums and cultural centers run exhibits about the creation and evolution of Hangeul, widely regarded as one of the most scientifically designed writing systems in the world.

Christmas (크리스마스) — December 25

Christmas in Korea is a couples' holiday, not a family holiday. While Korea has a significant Christian population (approximately 27-29% of the population identifies as Christian), Christmas Eve is essentially Korean Valentine's Day. Couples book restaurants, exchange gifts, and walk through illuminated streets.

If you're single, prepare for this. Korean Christmas can feel lonely if you're not expecting the couples-centric atmosphere. Consider organizing a friends' Christmas gathering — many international students do this successfully.

Unofficial Holidays and Special Days

Valentine's Day (February 14) & White Day (March 14)

Valentine's Day in Korea: women give chocolate to men. White Day (one month later): men give candy to women. This is the reverse of Western Valentine's Day, and it's taken quite seriously among younger Koreans.

Black Day (April 14)

Singles who received nothing on Valentine's Day and White Day gather to eat jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles) — literally a "holiday" for single people. It's self-deprecating and humorous rather than genuinely sad.

Pepero Day (November 11)

On 11/11 — because Pepero sticks look like the number 1 — Koreans exchange Pepero chocolate sticks. It started as a marketing campaign by Lotte (the snack company) but has become a genuine cultural event, especially among students.

University Festivals (대동제)

While not national holidays, university festivals (typically in May or October) are major events. Each department hosts booths, there are concerts featuring K-pop artists, and the campus transforms into a carnival. These are some of the most enjoyable experiences you'll have as a student in Korea.

Holiday Calendar for International Students (2026)

Holiday	Date	Days Off	What to Do
New Year's Day	Jan 1	1	Sunrise watching, rest
Seollal	Feb 16–18	3+	Palace visits, cultural events
Independence Movement Day	Mar 1	1	Historical site visits
Children's Day	May 5	1	Theme parks, outdoor activities
Memorial Day	Jun 6	1	War Memorial, moment of silence
Liberation Day	Aug 15	1	Cultural events, flag ceremonies
Chuseok	Oct 2–4	3+	Travel, songpyeon making
National Foundation Day	Oct 3	1	(overlaps with Chuseok in 2026)
Hangeul Day	Oct 9	1	Language exhibitions
Christmas	Dec 25	1	Friends gathering, illuminations

Survival Tips for Holidays

1. Plan Your Travel Early

For Seollal and Chuseok, book KTX tickets at least 3–4 weeks in advance. The booking opens exactly one month before the travel date, and popular routes (Seoul-Busan, Seoul-Gwangju) sell out within hours.

2. Stock Up on Food

Convenience stores (GS25, CU, 7-Eleven) remain open during most holidays, but many restaurants close for 2–3 days during Seollal and Chuseok. Keep instant noodles, rice, and snacks in your dorm.

3. Connect with Your International Student Community

Universities with large international populations often organize holiday events — Seollal cooking classes, Chuseok cultural experiences, Christmas parties. These are excellent for combating holiday loneliness and building friendships.

4. Use Holidays for Travel

With 3-day weekends, you can easily visit Jeju Island, Busan, or Gyeongju. After the initial rush (first day of Seollal/Chuseok), transportation becomes available and tourist sites are often less crowded than usual.

5. Learn the Greetings

Seollal: "새해 복 많이 받으세요" (saehae bok mani badeuseyo — Happy New Year)
Chuseok: "풍성한 추석 보내세요" (pungseonghan chuseok bonaeseyo — Have a bountiful Chuseok)
General: "즐거운 연휴 보내세요" (jeulgeoun yeonhyu bonaeseyo — Enjoy the holiday)

Using these greetings — even with imperfect pronunciation — will delight your Korean friends and professors.

The Holiday Nobody Prepares You For: Exam Season

It's not an official holiday, but exam periods (mid-terms in October and finals in December/June) effectively shut down Korean social life. Libraries fill to capacity at 7 AM. Cafes become silent study halls. Your Korean friends who were fun and social become ghosts, emerging only for instant ramen at 1 AM.

This is Korean study culture at its most intense — a direct product of the Confucian values discussed in our guide on Confucianism in Daily Korean Life. Don't take it personally when friends disappear during exam season. They haven't forgotten you — they're fulfilling what they see as a duty.

Making Holidays Meaningful

Korean holidays offer international students something precious: windows into authentic Korean life that no textbook or K-drama can replicate. The smell of songpyeon steaming in a friend's kitchen. The solemnity of a sebae bow. The collective gasp of a crowd watching fireworks over the Han River on New Year's Eve.

These moments don't happen by accident. They happen because you said yes to an invitation, showed up with curiosity, and let Korea show you something real.