October Recommendations

October Outings — Two Long Weekends, Peak Festival Season, Autumn Foliage Begins

October is both the best month of the year for outdoor excursions and the busiest. Each year, Gaecheonjeol (National Foundation Day, October 3) and Hangeul Day (Korean Alphabet Day, October 9) create short long weekends when they fall near a weekend. Regional festivals, night openings, and autumn foliage all converge within this single month. This page serves as a guide for choosing what to see and when in October. Detailed information on individual festivals and attractions is linked to their respective pages.

October 2026 Calendar — Two Long Weekends

In 2026, Hangeul Day falls on a Friday, allowing for a three-day break from October 9th to 11th. Gaecheonjeol is on a Saturday. Since long weekend dates vary each year depending on the day of the week, it's safer to check the calendar before booking accommodation and transportation. During long weekend breaks, roads around popular festival venues and accommodations fill up first.

Autumn Foliage Begins in the North in Mid-October

The Korea Forest Service's 2026 forecast for peak autumn foliage (when 50% or more of the leaves have changed color) is October 20 for Seoraksan, October 28 for Songnisan, November 4 for Naejangsan, and November 6 for Hallasan. By tree species, ginkgo trees are expected to peak around October 30, and maple and oak trees around October 31. The colors begin in the high-altitude regions of northern Gangwon Province and spread nationwide by late October. Seoraksan observed its first autumn leaves around Daecheongbong Peak on September 28 (the same day as the average year). During the autumn foliage season, Seoraksan may restrict access to Sogongwon Park from October 3 to November 8 due to traffic control measures, so consider using the free parking lots in Seorak-dong Zones B and C and the shuttle service. Detailed information is compiled in Seoraksan.

Forecasts can shift by several days depending on temperature. Regional attractions and hiking trails are collected in Autumn Foliage Hotspots, and day trip destinations from Seoul are in Seoul Vicinity Autumn Foliage Day Trips.

October's Major Festivals at a Glance

The Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival begins on the first day of the Gaecheonjeol long weekend and continues until the 18th, past the Hangeul Day long weekend, meaning both long weekends fall within the festival period. The lanterns are lit daily from 6 PM until midnight. During the Hangeul Day long weekend (Oct 9-11), the Sejong Hangeul Festival will feature a Black Eagles congratulatory flight (Oct 9, 12 PM) and a drone show with 2,000 drones (Oct 9, 8:40 PM), while Hangeul Week events will continue at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. The third week is packed with festivals: the Icheon Rice Cultural Festival opens on the 14th, followed by the Ganggyeong Fermented Seafood Festival and Gochang Moyangseong Festival both commencing on the 15th. The Yangyang Songi & Salmon Festival and Pocheon's Myeongseongsan Silver Grass Festival then take place on the 16th, making it the busiest period. From October 21-25, the Gangneung Coffee Festival is held, and from the fourth week, it's the turn of chrysanthemums. The Iksan Million Chrysanthemum Festival opens on the 23rd, and the Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival on the 31st. Full schedules for September to November and records of past September festivals can be seen at a glance in the Autumn Festival Calendar.

Silver Grass and Pink Muhly — October's Best Scenery

For silver grass and pink muhly, timing is more crucial than specific festivals. Their colors begin to emerge in late September, become most vibrant in October, and by November, the silver hue of the reeds starts to fade. Regional hotspots and directions are compiled in Autumn Pink Muhly & Silver Grass Hotspots, and riverside reed fields in Autumn Reed Field Hotspots for Cycling & Hiking. Many people aim for late afternoon when the sun is low, as seeing silver grass against the backlight makes it appear brightest. If you want to combine hiking and a festival in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, the Myeongseongsan Silver Grass Festival from October 16-18 is ideal.

October Nights — Night Openings and Light Festivals

October is the last good month for evening viewing, as nighttime temperatures are still tolerable.

• Hwaseong Haenggung Palace Night Opening — If it overlaps with the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival, the area around the fortress walls will also be crowded.
• Mireuksaji Temple Site Night Opening — Illumination of the Mireuksaji Stone Pagoda in Iksan.
• Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival — The main event truly begins after sunset.
• Drone Shows — Let's Run Park Seoul October 3, 20:30 (approx. 400 drones); Gochang Moyangseong Festival October 16, 19:30 (approx. 1,000 drones). Gochang also offers a night fortress walk on October 17, where participants carry hanji (Korean paper) lanterns.
• Changdeokgung Palace Secret Garden Autumn Tour — This is a daytime tour, but reservations fill up quickly.

After mid-October, nighttime temperatures can drop to single digits. If you choose your clothes based only on daytime temperatures, it will be difficult to endure for two to three hours after sunset.

Last Week of University Festivals and Halloween

Most autumn university festivals are concentrated in September, with a few schools continuing into early October. Dates, lineups, and external visitor admission policies for each school can be found in Autumn University Festivals.

The last week of October is Halloween. October 31, 2026, falls on a Saturday. Theme parks operate Halloween season events from September to November, and parade/horror zone operating hours and costume regulations are compiled in Everland & Lotte World Halloween. The Halloween weekend itself is one of the busiest days of the year, so if visiting on a weekday is possible, that would be preferable.

What to Wear and Pack for October

October sees significant temperature differences between day and night. While light long-sleeved clothing is sufficient during the day, a windbreaker or thin padded jacket will be necessary after sunset.

What to Expect in October Every Year

The general structure of October remains similar year after year. It includes Gaecheonjeol and Hangeul Day, regional festivals concentrated in the first to third weeks, and autumn foliage starting in the northern regions by mid-month and moving south to the central regions by late month. What changes are the days of the week and the confirmed festival dates. Local governments usually finalize schedules one to two months before the event, so it's safer to check official announcements rather than relying on last year's dates. Plans for November continue in Late Autumn in November.

Sources Checked

• Korea Forest Service 2026 Autumn Foliage Peak Forecast Report: https://www.youngnong.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=70540
• Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival Official: https://yudeung.com/
• Andong International Mask Dance Festival Opening Report: https://www.ajunews.com/view/20260920021400158
• Gimje Horizon Festival Official: https://festival.gimje.go.kr/
• Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival Schedule Report: https://www.youcandonews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=20263
• Hoengseong Hanwoo Festival Schedule Report: https://www.gukjenews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=3707073
• Yangyang Songi & Salmon Festival Schedule Report: https://www.gnnnews.kr/201047
• Sejong Hangeul Festival Timetable/Parking (OhmyNews): https://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0003271844
• 2026 Hangeul Week (NewsPim 2026-10-02): https://www.newspim.com/news/view/20261002000056
• Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival (Hankook Ilbo): https://daily.hankooki.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=1411322
• Icheon Rice Cultural Festival Official Schedule: https://www.ricefestival.or.kr/program/program.php?sp=schedule
• Gangneung Coffee Festival & Gwangju Chungjang Festival of Memories Schedule (Sukbak Magazine): https://www.sukbakmagazine.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=69578
• Seoraksan Autumn Foliage Season Special Traffic Measures (Seoul Shinmun 2026-09-30): https://www.seoul.co.kr/news/society/2026/09/30/20260930500136

Last updated: 2026-10-06