Winter

Korea in winter is cold, dry and bright, and the snow you are probably hoping for is in the Gangwon mountains, not in Seoul. Seoul averages −5.5 °C (22 °F) on January nights, and its first snow came only on 4 December in 2025. Ski resorts in Pyeongchang open in late November or early December, the Hwacheon ice festival runs 9–31 January 2027, and Seoul’s winter lights run from 11 December 2026 to 31 January 2027.

For most first trips the answer is a Seoul base with one day or overnight in Gangwon for snow, plus the free lights in central Seoul in the evenings. Dates and prices on this page come from the operators’, city and weather-service pages, checked on 27 October 2026; 2026–27 ski prices were not out yet.

What to do in winter: pick by trip

Your situation	Do this
First time seeing snow, Seoul-based	One night in Pyeongchang: ski at Mona Yongpyong or Alpensia, December to February
Want to ski with little travel	Gonjiam, 40 minutes from Gangnam by subway line plus a short taxi
In Korea in January	A day at the Hwacheon ice-fishing festival (9–31 January 2027)
Seoul in December or early January	Lanterns on Cheonggyecheon and an hour on the Seoul Plaza ice rink
Hiker	Hallasan on Jeju with crampons and an early start; check closures the day before
Want mild weather instead	Busan and Jeju, where January highs are around 8–11 °C

The short version: snow scenery means Gangwon, festivals mean January, and Seoul’s lights and rink cover the run from mid-December to the end of January.

Will you see snow?

Probably, if you go to the mountains; not reliably in Seoul. Seoul’s average first snow (1991–2020) is on 20 November, but that counts any flakes or sleet seen at the weather station. In 2025 the first snow came on 4 December, two weeks late. January in Seoul brings only 17 mm of precipitation, so most days are dry and sunny.

The Daegwallyeong plateau around Pyeongchang is different. It sits at 832 m, averages −5.3 °C across the winter and has January nights averaging −12.2 °C (10 °F). The Korea Meteorological Administration notes it gets a lot of snow, which is why the big ski resorts are there. The east coast below it, around Gangneung, is milder, with a winter mean of 2.3 °C.

Place	Winter conditions	Snow	Best for
Seoul	January 2.1 °C (36 °F) by day, −5.5 °C (22 °F) at night	Occasional; first snow average 20 Nov	Lights, ice rink, palaces with few crowds
Daegwallyeong / Pyeongchang	Winter mean −5.3 °C; January lows −12.2 °C (10 °F)	Heavy and reliable	Skiing, snow scenery, trout festival
Gangneung	Winter mean 2.3 °C	–	Sea views, an add-on to Pyeongchang
Busan	January high 8.2 °C (47 °F)	Rare	Mild city break
Jeju	Above freezing on the coast	On Hallasan’s upper slopes	Winter hike, mild coast

KMA climate pages and 1991–2020 averages, checked 27 October 2026. If seeing snow is the point of the trip, book the Gangwon night while the ski resorts are open, from December to February. For month-by-month figures see the best time to visit Korea.

Skiing and snowboarding

The main resorts are within about three hours of Seoul, and several run night skiing. Most open in late November or early December and close in March. None had published 2026–27 opening dates or day-ticket prices by 27 October 2026, so the table shows last season.

Resort	Where	2025–26 season	Getting there from Seoul
Mona Yongpyong	Pyeongchang, Gangwon	21 Nov 2025 – late March 2026	KTX to Jinbu, then about 20 min by taxi
High1	Jeongseon, Gangwon	Opened 28 Nov 2025	Bus to Gohan-Sabuk terminal, about 2 h 40 min; or train from Cheongnyangni to Gohan, about 3 h 30 min
Gonjiam	Gwangju, Gyeonggi	Opened early December 2025	Gyeonggang Line to Gonjiam (40 min from Gangnam), then 10 min by taxi or bus 9

From the resorts’ Korean pages and Korean press, checked 27 October 2026. Alpensia, the 2018 Olympic resort, is also near Daegwallyeong; its 2025–26 season ran from 4 December to 2 March. For snow and scenery, choose Pyeongchang; for the least travel, choose Gonjiam.

• Lift tickets: in 2025–26 Gonjiam charged ₩81,000 on weekdays and ₩96,000 at weekends for 4 hours, with no child discount. High1’s site still listed ₩86,000 for 7 hours and ₩111,000 for a full day in October 2026. New prices usually appear shortly before opening.
• Mona Yongpyong has 28 slopes and 14 lifts. Its ski school lists a class for foreign visitors with English-speaking instructors.
• Ski buses from Seoul: Mona Yongpyong runs a shuttle from the Seoul area, and in 2025–26 High1’s ski buses were sold through travel agencies in each region. Routes and fares for 2026–27 were not published yet.

Winter festivals and lights

Seoul Winter Festival (December–January)

The city combines its winter events under one name. For 2026–27 it runs from 11 December 2026 to 31 January 2027 around Gwanghwamun, Cheonggyecheon, Seoul Plaza and DDP.

• Seoul Lantern Festival: lit sculptures along Cheonggyecheon stream, 11 December–31 January. The 2025–26 edition was free to enter, with some paid hands-on activities.
• Seoul Plaza ice rink: in front of City Hall, 18 December 2026 – 9 February 2027. In 2025–26 a one-hour session cost ₩1,000 including skates and helmet, the same price as when it first opened in 2004.
• Seoul Light shows at Gwanghwamun (to 10 January) and at DDP (to 31 January), plus the Gwanghwamun Market to 10 January.
• New Year’s Eve bell ringing at Bosingak, the night of 31 December.

All of these are within walking distance of Myeongdong and Insadong. Opening hours for 2026–27 were not published yet.

Ice-fishing festivals in Gangwon (January)

Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is the big one: you fish for mountain trout through holes in a frozen river. The organisers list 9–31 January 2027. The Pyeongchang Trout Festival in Jinbu is similar and ran from 9 January to 9 February in 2026, when indoor fishing cost ₩20,000. Both depend on the ice being thick enough, so check the official site before you set off. The Taebaeksan Snow Festival, with snow sculptures, ran from 31 January to 8 February in 2026. More dates are in the festival calendar.

Garden of Morning Calm lights (December–March)

This hillside garden in Gapyeong, north-east of Seoul, is lit with coloured lights from early December to mid-March each year. During the festival it opens 10:00–21:00, and until 23:00 on Saturdays; adult entry is ₩11,000. Take the Gyeongchun Line or ITX-Cheongchun train to Cheongpyeong, then bus 30-6 to the end of the line. Check the last bus back before you stay for the lights, or plan on a taxi.

Winter hiking

Snow-covered ridges are one of the best sights of a Korean winter, but trails need more care and close earlier.

• Hallasan, Jeju: summit trails need a free booking. From October to March the last entry at Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa is 11:30, and you must leave the summit by 13:30. The park tells hikers to bring crampons, and trails close when snow warnings are in force.
• Seoraksan, Gangwon: trail entry hours are shorter from November to March, and high routes can close for snow.

See hiking in Korea for trails and rules.

Tips for a winter trip

• Dress for wind, not just cold. A down or padded coat, hat, gloves and thermal base layers are enough for Seoul. Add waterproof boots for the mountains. If you are coming from Singapore, Manila, Kuala Lumpur or Mumbai, pack more layers than you think you need.
• Warm up indoors. Hot springs and jjimjilbang bathhouses are a winter staple; see hot springs.
• Plan around Seollal. The Lunar New Year holiday runs 6–9 February 2027. Trains and buses out of Seoul sell out, and some shops and restaurants close.
• Daylight is short. Plan outdoor sights for the middle of the day, and leave the evenings for the lights and markets.
• Australians: December to February is your summer, so this is a chance to swap a hot Christmas for a white one.