Despite the subzero temperatures and snow in South Korea in January, winter can still be a fun time to visit Seoul (especially for winter sports enthusiasts.) With the right plans, travelers can enjoy cool cultural experiences, delicious local food, unique festivals and winter sports galore. From enjoying the sights twinkling with festive lights and watching the stunning sunrises of the year, there are plenty of things to do!
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Weather
January is the coldest month of the year with an average temperature ranging from -3 degrees C/26 degrees F to 4 degrees C/40 degrees F. I've visited in December and January and must say that January is distinctly colder.
On the plus side, it's the driest month of the year, so you don't have to worry about rain. Days are shorter, but you still get sunny days.
To be honest, maybe because I've heard so much about how terrible Korean winters are, I didn't find January in Seoul that hard to bear. (It actually felt warmer than Scottish winters- which could be because it was sunnier and less windy.)
Moreover, for those who enjoy winter sports, it's the perfect time to visit a ski resort!
In Seoul, average temperatures range from -3 degrees C/26 degrees F to4 degrees 40 degrees F.
Note: Jeju Island and Busan are warmer than Seoul, with temperatures ranging from 1 degrees C/ 34 degrees F to 6 degrees C/ 43 degrees F. Gangwon-do Province in the North- which includes places such as Pyeongchang- is the coldest part of South Korea with the most snowfall.
Public Holidays
Seollal
Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year falls on January 29, 2025. (On some years, it falls in February- the date changes as it's based on the Lunar Calendar.)
Korean New Year is one of South Korea’s most important holidays and many shops will be closed between 28th to 30th. Usually smaller businesses and family-owned restaurants are closed but convenience stores, malls and chain restaurants are open. (It used to be an issue finding places to eat/ shops to visit during this period, but it's not really an issue in central Seoul anymore. However, if you want to dine/ visit a specific place, it would be best to check if they're open first.)
As many people in South Korea return home to visit family, public transport might be crowded before/ on New Year's Day.
Some cultural sites are still open over New Year's. (For example, the Royal Palaces in Seoul will be open and admission is free during Seollal.) Here are some of the best places to visit during Seollal:
- Gyeongbokgung Palace: there are traditional celebrations held to welcome the New Year, such as the Charye ceremony (honouring the ancestors) The National Folk Museum, in the northeast of Gyeongbokgung Palace, also hosts various folk activities over the 4-day Seollal Lunar New Year period.
- Bukchon Village: you can enjoy Korean cultural activities and Seollal traditions here
- Jogyesa Temple (near Insa-dong): people gather to take part in Buddhist rituals and view the paper lanterns
On regular days, you get free entry to the palaces if you wear a Korean hanbok (traditional Korean dress.)
Winter Festivals & Events
Stunning Sunrise Festivals
- Dates: December - January 1
- Address: Various locations such as Gwangjang-gu, Ulju-gun in Ulsan, Pohang-si in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Gangneung-si in Gangwon-do, Yeosu-si in Jeollanam-do, etc
Koreans enjoy welcoming the New Year by watching the sunrise and make wishes for the year ahead. They believe that wishes made whilst watching the 1st sunrise of the year are most powerful!
Seoul Lantern Festival
Dates: 13 December 2024 to 12 January 202
Theme: SOUL LANTERN: Play with the Light of SEOUL
The entire Cheonggyecheon area is lit up with 242 luminous light installations, all the way from Cheonggye Plaza to Samilgyo Bridge- some go up to 8m high!
Pyeongchang Trout Festival
- Dates : Last year, it was held December 29, 2023 - January 28, 2024. Dates for 2025 will be advised.
The popular Pyeongchang Trout Festival takes place during winter in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do. There will be a variety of cool winter experiences, like trout and ice fishing. Any trout caught from ice fishing can be cooked using different recipes at one of the nearby restaurants.
If you don't want to stress about transport, there are tours from Seoul to Pyeongchang, which can even book fishing equipment for you!
Sanjeong Lake Sledding Festival
Dates: Last year, it was held from late December to mid-February. Dates for 2025 will be advised.
As winter approaches in December, certain areas of Poncheon-si will be transformed into a spectacular wonderland. You can sled over the frozen waters in a yellow duck sled- it's too cute for words!
There are tours from Seoul which bring you directly to Sanjeong Lake. The tour also allows you to pick Korean strawberries, have coffee last the Ice Wall cafe, and enjoy the Pocheon Herb Festival.
Pocheon Herb Island Lighting Festival
Located in the scenic mountains of Gyeonggi-do, the Herb Island in Pocheon is transformed into a spectacular wonderland with LED lights that illuminates the entire park.
Visitors will be treated to pink wishing tunnels, Christmas- themed attractions and many more spectacular sights.
Dongjangkun Festival
Held at Dodidol Village, travelers can ice fish, ride a sled or play traditional games.
Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival (칠갑산 얼음분수 축제)
Dates : This year, it was held January 1 - February 13, 2024. Dates for 2025 will be advised.
Address: Cheongyang Alps Village, Chilgapsan
Located about 2 hours from Seoul, the annual Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival transforms the village into a winter wonderland with snow sculptures, igloos, ice caves, snow statues, ice carvings and more. (It sort of looks like it came out of the Disney movie, Frozen.)
Once the sun sets, the sculptures come alive with rainbow-hued lights. You'll have a great time snacking on street food as you walk around.
The festival is also family-friendly with lots of activities for kids. There is snow sledding, (on a rubber ring), ice sledding (on a small sleigh), flat snow sledding (on a traditional Korean wooden sleigh with short sticks for pushing along the ice) and more.
Note: you have to pay extra (in addition to the admission ticket) to take part in the sledding. However, you don't have to worry if it doesn't snow, as they have snow machines.
Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival 2025 (얼음나라 화천 산천어축제)
Dates : This year, it was held January 6 - 28, 2024. Dates for 2025 will be advised.
This festival, which attracts over 1 million visitors every year, was voted one of the "seven wonders of winter" in 2011 by CNN. It's held when the Hwacheoncheon Stream has frozen over- visitors can enjoy ice fishing, ice racing, sledding, ice sledding and more.
You'll have the chance to catch the fish sancheoneo (cherry salmon, also known as "Queen of the Valley", is a fish that only lives in waters of 20C/ below) and eat it grilled or raw (sashimi style.)
Yeongdong Dried Persimmon Festival (영동곶감축제)
Dates : This year, it was held January 18 - 21, 2024. Dates for 2025 will be advised.
Koreans have a festival for everything- from mud to tomatoes and persimmons.
Persimmons are given as gifts during the Lunar Year as wishes for prosperity for the coming year. They're also given as gifts for Korean weddings, symbolising wishes for a good and prosperous marriage. (The orange color of the fruit represents fertility and longevity. If you're thinking this is a cheap gift- fruits are really expensive in Korea FYI!)
The Yeongdong Dried Persimmon Festival is held to promote the province’s dried persimmon- you'll have the chance to taste and make your own dried fruit here.
Taebaeksan Snow Festival (태백산 눈축제)
Dates: This year, it was held January 26 - February 4, 2024. Dates for 2025 will be advised.
Held annually in Taebaek, in Gangwon-do Province, the Taebaeksan Snow Festival is a winter wonderland featuring massive snow sculptures with a breathtaking view of Mountain Taebaek. At night, these snow sculptures are lit up in vibrant colors.
You can also enjoy snow carving and ice sledding here.
Warm up with a cup of coffee in the famous Igloo Cafe and take home some memorable photos.
Daegwallyeong Snow Festival (대관령 눈꽃축제)
Dates : This year, it was held January 27 - February 12, 2024. Dates for 2025 will be advised.
The Daegwallyeong Snow Festival is held every January in Daegwallyeong, Pyeongchang. This snow festival started in 1993 and was one of the 1st snow festivals held.
Travelers can experience the unique traditional winter activities like ice -sledding and paengi-spinning- however, do remember that this is one of the coldest places in South Korea!
Inje Ice Fishing Festival
Dates: Last week of January 2025
The Inje Ice Fishing Festival, held since 1997, will feature a range of exciting winter activities.
There will be a Snow Village and a newly opened Dronezone area. There will also be a very large indoor playground for kids in the “food street area”.
Winter Sports
Ice Skating
January is an ideal month for ice skating lovers and there are many indoor and outdoor ice-skating rinks in Seoul, such as:
- Seoul City Hall Ice Rink: open since 2004, the 1000 Won admission fee includes skate rental
- Lotte World Ice Rink
- Grand Hyatt Seoul Ice Rink: this outdoor rink offers a great nighttime view of Seoul
- Olympic Park Ice Skating Rink: an outdoor rink located near the Peace Plaza, where you can rent skates and enjoy Korean snacks
- Mokdong Ice Rink: this rink is built to international competition standards!
- Sangam MBC Ice Rink: located right outside the famous broadcasting station
- Yeouido Hanging Park Ice Rank: a swimming pool in the summer that becomes an ice rink in winter
Snow Sledding
January is one of the best times to enjoy snow sledding in the heart of Seoul City, namely at:
- Ttukseom Han River Park Snow Slope: this temporary sledding hill next to Han River is one of the best places to get a great view of the river (Open till 19 February)
- Children’s Grand Park: an adventure spot for children. Besides sledding, you can also enjoy outdoor games, air bumper cars, and ice fishing here (open till 19 February)
- Yangjeoncheon Ice Sledding Rink: only costs 1000 Won per person. (Open till 12 February)
- Dorincheon Children’s Ice Sledding: free till February 19
Things To Do
Pamper Yourself
Indulging in beauty treatments, whether it's a Korean facial or Korean hair cut, is always a good idea, in my opinion. Our favourite is the Sulwhasoo spa (click through to find out why.)
Foodie Activities
As a food blogger, it's no surprise that taking cooking classes, such as this kimchi-making class (click through for the review), is one of my favorite Seoul experiences! (The other is taking a food tour around Seoul.)
Namsangol Hanok Village (남산골한옥마을)
Located at the base of Namsan Mountain, this lesser-known Hanok Village (compared to Bukchon-dong and Ikseon-dong) is within walking distance of Myeongdong and depicts life during the Joseon-era.
5 hanoks that used to house Joseon aristocrats and government officials were restored and moved here in 1998. You can also take part in traditional cultural experiences such as folding hanji paper (traditional Korean paper), Korean calligraphy, traditional tea ceremonies, etiquette lessons and herbal medicine workshops.
There are taekwondo and other performances held throughout the village, as well as traditional games such as yunnori (traditional Korean board game.)
Address: 28 Toegye-ro 34-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul 서울특별시 중구 퇴계로34길 28
Note: closed on Mondays
Make Your Own Souvenirs
Souvenirs are a great way of remembering one's holidays. Click here for the best Korean souvenirs to bring home.
For an extra special memento, why not try your hand at making your own souvenirs of your trip?
Some fun Korean souvenir classes include:
Mother-of-Pearl
In this class, you make accessories using the Korean traditional Najeonchilgi technique. There's a variety of items that you can make, for a full review of the Mother-of-Pearl class I took in Bukchon, click here.
Perfume Making
In this perfume class held in a 80-year old hanok (traditional Korean house), you can make a fragrance that is unique to you, choosing from 400 different scents.
Stone Stamps
Have you seen Full House? It's a Korean drama in which the lead actress lost her house because her besties stole her personal stamp.
In Korea, the dojang/ stamp is a personal mark that can be used to sign documents. You can make your dojang in this class! The class is aptly held in Insa-dong, an area famous for being the centre of Korean culture.
If a stamp is not your thing, why not turn your Korean name (or any Korean words) into a necklace?
Korean Pottery
You can make your own Korean Jars here!
Things to Eat
Tteokguk
This is a traditional Korean New Year food.
Sweet Potatoes
Koreans love to eat whole roasted sweet potatoes when the weather is cold!
Pastries & Coffee/ Tea
Honestly, the pastries in Seoul aren't that great (The ones in Copenhagen, for example, are amazing.) However, cafe culture is strong in Korea- there are so many unique and beautiful coffee shops! Plus, a coffee shop is the perfect place to get out of the cold!
Note: Korean cuisine is famous for its spicy food. If you can't take the heat, here are 23 Korean dishes that won't burn your tongue off!
Expert Tips
- Downland Naver Maps or Kakao Maps- Google Maps does not work in Korea! (For a list of the best free apps you'll need for Korea, click here.)
Any questions about visiting Seoul in January? Let me know in the comments! If not, have a great time!
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