Winter in Korea: cold, snow and what to actually do

December to February: −10 °C mornings in Seoul, skiing an hour away, hot springs, snow in Gangwon and winter food.

4 min read

Korean winters are cold and dry, with bright blue skies. Seoul sits around −5 to 5 °C in January with cold snaps to −10 °C or lower; Busan and Jeju are milder. It is a great season if you dress for it.

What to do

• Ski and snowboard: Resorts in Gangwon (Yongpyong, Alpensia, High1, Vivaldi Park) are 1.5–3 hours from Seoul. Day tours with gear rental run from Seoul; no planning needed beyond booking.
• Snow scenery: Seoraksan, Nami Island, Pyeongchang, and Hanok villages after snowfall. Jeju's Hallasan is spectacular in snow.
• Hot springs and jjimjilbang: Korean bathhouses are the winter ritual. Try a jjimjilbang for the sauna rooms and sleeping hall.
• Winter food: hotteok, bungeoppang, tteokbokki and odeng from street carts; dak-hanmari (chicken hot pot), gukbap, and stews.
• Light festivals: Garden of Morning Calm lighting festival, Seoul's Cheonggyecheon, Busan Christmas tree festival.
• Skating: Seoul Plaza outdoor rink (very cheap), Lotte World indoor rink.

Practical

• Wind matters more than the number: a windproof outer layer, hat and gloves. Heat packs (hot pack, 핫팩) are sold at every convenience store.
• Indoor heating is strong; dress in layers.
• Ski-resort shuttle buses from Seoul fill up on weekends.
• Lunar New Year (Seollal) falls in late January or February; many shops close for 2–3 days and trains sell out weeks ahead.