Home
About us
Destinations & Country Guides
Travel Guides
Recipes
Featured
Photos As Art
Abstract Prints
Locations
Travel Gear
Travel Resources
Favorites
Photo Framer
Explore Photos
Contact
Culture & etiquetteBy Clever Tourists · Published · Last updated
South Korea has four sharp seasons, so pack for the month: a real winter coat from December to February, layers in spring and autumn, and light, quick-drying clothes plus rain gear in July and August. Seoul averages −5°C at night in January and 30°C by day in August (Korea Meteorological Administration, 1991–2020), and July alone brings over 400 mm of rain as the jangma monsoon passes. There is no dress code on the street; temples ask for modest dress but rarely enforce it, and wearing hanbok gets you into Seoul's royal palaces free. We travelled South Korea from 7 June to 9 July 2023, from Seoul to Jeonju, Busan, Jeju, Gyeongju and Sokcho, so the early-summer and rainy-season advice is first-hand.
Seoul's average daily high and low and monthly rainfall, from the Korea Meteorological Administration's 1991–2020 normals. Busan and Jeju are milder in winter and less extreme in summer; the mountains around Seoraksan near Sokcho are colder. Winter in Seoul is dry, bright and bitterly cold in the wind, and the summer monsoon usually arrives in the second half of June and lasts into late July.
Seollal, the Lunar New Year, runs 6 to 9 February 2027, when many shops and restaurants close; see our Seollal 2027 guide.
| Month | Seoul high / low | Rain | What to wear |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2 / −5°C (36 / 22°F) | 17 mm | A long padded coat, thermal base layer, hat and gloves. Dry, windy cold. |
| February | 5 / −3°C (41 / 26°F) | 28 mm | As January. |
| March | 11 / 2°C (52 / 35°F) | 37 mm | Warm jacket and layers. Fine-dust days are common in spring. |
| April | 18 / 8°C (64 / 46°F) | 73 mm | Light jacket and a sweater. Cherry blossom season. |
| May | 24 / 14°C (74 / 56°F) | 104 mm | T-shirts and long sleeves, with a light layer for evenings. |
| June | 28 / 19°C (82 / 66°F) | 130 mm | Summer clothes. Humidity builds and the monsoon arrives late in the month. |
| July | 29 / 22°C (84 / 72°F) | 414 mm | Quick-dry clothes, a rain jacket, compact umbrella and sandals. The wettest month. |
| August | 30 / 23°C (86 / 73°F) | 348 mm | The lightest clothes you own. Hot, humid and still rainy early in the month. |
| September | 26 / 18°C (79 / 64°F) | 142 mm | Summer clothes, with a light layer by the end of the month. |
| October | 20 / 11°C (68 / 51°F) | 52 mm | Light jacket and long sleeves. Autumn foliage season. |
| November | 12 / 4°C (53 / 38°F) | 51 mm | Warm jacket and sweater. Cold mornings. |
| December | 4 / −3°C (40 / 26°F) | 23 mm | Winter coat, hat and gloves. |
There are no rules for either. Seoul is a fashion-conscious city, and shorts, short skirts and dresses are everywhere in summer; low-cut and very bare-shouldered tops are less common in everyday Korean style, though nobody will stop you. Smart-casual clothes help you blend in at nicer restaurants and in business districts like Gangnam.
Two Korean dress habits are worth knowing. On the hiking trails at Seoraksan and Bukhansan, Koreans of every age wear full technical hiking gear, so trainers and jeans will look underdressed but are fine on the easier routes. And in a jjimjilbang (bathhouse), you are given a T-shirt-and-shorts uniform for the shared heated rooms, and bathe naked in the single-sex baths.
See what is considered rude in South Korea for the etiquette side.
Temples such as Jogyesa and Bongeunsa in Seoul, Bulguksa in Gyeongju and Haedong Yonggungsa in Busan ask for modest dress, but day visitors in shorts and T-shirts are not turned away. Take your shoes off before entering a hall, wear socks, and keep your voice down during services. Overnight templestays are different: you are given a uniform, and tight, revealing or bright clothing is not allowed. Our Japan and South Korea temple dress code guide covers the details, with site guides for Jogyesa, Bongeunsa and Bulguksa.
Hanbok: renting a traditional hanbok for a few hours is popular around Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul and in Jeonju Hanok Village, and visitors in hanbok enter Seoul's royal palaces free.
• Winter: a long padded coat (Koreans wear knee-length ones for a reason), thermal base layers, hat, gloves and a scarf.
• Summer: light, quick-drying clothes, and a light rain jacket plus a compact umbrella for the monsoon.
• Shoes: comfortable walking shoes that come off easily for temples and some restaurants with floor seating, and sandals that cope with rain in July.
• Socks: for temple halls and floor-seating restaurants.
• A mask: on high fine-dust days in spring, many locals wear them; pharmacies and convenience stores sell them.
• Hiking gear if you plan on Seoraksan; see the Sokcho and Seoraksan day trip.
We were in South Korea from 7 June to 9 July 2023: Seoul, Jeonju, Suncheon, Busan, Seogwipo and Jeju City on Jeju, Gyeongju, Sokcho, and back to Seoul. The route is in our 32-day South Korea itinerary. Early June in Seoul is summer-clothes weather (June averages 28°C by day), and our photos from the first week show colourful lotus lanterns still hanging in a temple garden from Buddha's Birthday, which fell on 27 May that year.
The second half of the trip overlapped the usual start of the monsoon in late June, which is when a rain jacket and sandals that can get soaked matter most. Street performers in traditional dress, like the ones in our Seoul photo below, are a common sight; for visitors, hanbok rental is the way to try it.
A long padded coat, thermal base layers, hat and gloves. Seoul averages 2°C by day and −5°C at night in January, and the wind makes it feel colder.
Light, quick-drying clothes, a rain jacket, a compact umbrella and sandals. July is Seoul's wettest month, averaging over 400 mm of rain.
Yes. Shorts and short skirts are common in summer, including at temples for day visits. Overnight templestays have stricter rules and give you a uniform.
Modest dress is requested but rarely enforced for day visitors. Take your shoes off before entering a hall, wear socks and keep quiet during services.
Yes. Visitors wearing hanbok enter Seoul's royal palaces, including Gyeongbokgung, free.
Get our new South Korea guides and practical tips by email: where to stay, what to eat, what things cost and the rules that catch travelers out.
Free. No spam, only new guides and tips.
Search verified local fleets with low security deposits and exact model delivery on Localrent.
Get the best deals on South Korea hotels on Booking.com before prices climb.
