At a Glance
Compared to this destination's peak season Quiet in the first half; the centre gets busy from the third week, and Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are the busiest nights of the winter.
Seoul in December — Travel Guide
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Seoul in December offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for festive lights, street food & nightlife. Expect temperatures of -3–4°C, around 4 days of rain, and medium crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around ₩80,000–140,000 for mid-range travellers. Book three to four weeks ahead for the best mid-range rates and the widest hotel choice.
Contents12 sections
#Weather in Seoul in December
Seoul in December averages -3–4°C (27–39°F) with around 4 days of rain, and crowds are medium.
| Measure | December |
|---|---|
| Daytime high | 4°C / 39°F |
| Overnight low | -3°C / 27°F |
| Rain and snow | 4 wet days and about 23 mm |
| Daylight | About 9 hours 45 minutes on the 1st, down to about 9 hours 35 minutes at the solstice |
December is the start of Seoul's real winter. Highs fall to around 4°C and nights drop below freezing, and the cold snaps from Siberia begin. It is dry, with only four wet days, and mostly sunny, so the cold is bright rather than grey.
The days are at their shortest: the sun sets at about quarter past five for much of the month, the earliest sunset of the year. The winter light is low and golden in the afternoons.
#What to Do in Seoul in December
The winter lights
Seoul's winter festival usually lights up the centre from mid-December: light installations around Gwanghwamun and Seoul Plaza, a lantern festival along the Cheonggyecheon, and markets. The programme changes each year, so check the dates.
Christmas, Korean-style
Christmas Day is a public holiday in Korea, and because 25 December 2027 is a Saturday, the substitute holiday falls on Monday the 27th. Christmas here is more a couples' holiday than a family one, and restaurants and cafés are booked out on Christmas Eve. The department stores' facades, particularly Shinsegae's in Myeongdong, are covered in huge light displays.
The Bosingak bell
The thirty-three strokes of the great bell at Bosingak, in Jongno, carry the city from one year into the next at midnight on 31 December. The crowd fills the streets around it for hours beforehand. Arrive by 10pm for a view, dress for standing still in the cold, and expect a slow journey home.
Sledding by the river
In most winters the city builds snow sledding slopes in Hangang parks such as Ttukseom and Jamwon, usually opening in the second half of December and running into February. They are cheap, and on a school-holiday afternoon they are among the busiest places in Seoul.
Skating in front of City Hall
The Seoul Plaza ice rink usually opens in December, in front of City Hall. It is cheap, central and at its best in the evenings with the lights on.
#Getting Around
December's festive weeks bring crowds to the centre. Around Gwanghwamun, Myeongdong and Seoul Plaza, the pavements are busy in the evenings, and taxis are very hard to find late at night, especially after the last trains and during the year-end party season.
On New Year's Eve, the subway usually runs extra trains after midnight for the crowds leaving the Bosingak bell in Jongno. Check the city's announcement for the year.
#Budget & Costs
Early December is good value, before the festive rush. Prices rise from about the third week, and the days between Christmas and New Year are among the busiest and dearest of the winter.
The winter lights, the bell and the skating are free or cheap; the year-end party season is what fills and prices the restaurants.
#Food & Dining
On the winter solstice, dongji, Koreans eat patjuk, red bean porridge, to ward off bad luck. Many restaurants serve it that week.
December is also the height of the winter street food season: hotteok, bungeoppang and eomuk from the carts, and hot stews and barbecue indoors. Strawberry season begins, and the hotel strawberry buffets open for the winter.
#Nightlife
December is the busiest month of the year for Seoul's nightlife, driven by songnyeonhoe, the company year-end parties that fill restaurants and bars on weeknights all month. Barbecue restaurants and noraebang karaoke rooms are packed.
Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are the big nights; book restaurants well ahead.
#Shopping
The department stores are at their most spectacular in December, with Christmas displays and gift halls. Myeongdong's cosmetics shops sell gift sets. The underground shopping streets are warm places to browse.
Christmas markets are small in Seoul, but the winter festival's stalls around Gwanghwamun usually include one.
#Culture & Etiquette
At the Bosingak bell, the crowd is large but good-natured. Follow police instructions, which change the pedestrian flow around Jongno for the night.
At year-end parties, Korean drinking etiquette applies: pour for others, receive with two hands, and turn slightly away from elders when drinking.
#Essential Local Phrases
| Korean | Meaning | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| 메리 크리스마스 (meri keuriseumaseu) | Merry Christmas | 24 and 25 December |
| 송년회 (songnyeonhoe) | Year-end party | Every restaurant booking in December |
| 제야의 종 (jeyaui jong) | The New Year's Eve bell | At Bosingak |
| 팥죽 (patjuk) | Red bean porridge | At the solstice |
| 따뜻한 거 주세요 (ttatteutan geo juseyo) | Something hot, please | At any café |
| 스케이트장 (seukeiteujang) | Ice rink | Asking the way to the rink at Seoul Plaza |
#Packing List
- An insulated winter coat
- Thermal base layers
- A warm hat, gloves and a scarf
- Warm, waterproof boots with good grip
- Moisturiser and lip balm
- Heat packs, sold at every convenience store
- A thermos for New Year's Eve
#Safety & Health
Cold is the main risk: dress properly, and watch for ice on shaded pavements. On New Year's Eve, the crowd around Bosingak is very dense; keep your party together, because phone networks can struggle in a crowd that size.
Winter air can be dry, and fine dust sometimes rises in December. Check the forecast.
#Backup Plans
On a bitter December day, retreat underground or into hot water: the malls and aquarium at COEX, the National Museum of Korea, and a long evening in a jjimjilbang.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is December a good time to visit Seoul?
If you like winter cities, yes. It is cold, with nights below freezing, but dry and mostly sunny, and the centre is lit up for the winter festival and Christmas. Early December is good value; the last ten days are busy and dear.
Is Christmas a holiday in Korea?
Yes, Christmas Day is a public holiday. In 2027 it falls on a Saturday, so Monday 27 December is a substitute holiday, according to the government’s 2027 calendar. Christmas Eve is a big night out for couples, and restaurants book up.
What happens on New Year’s Eve in Seoul?
The great bell at Bosingak in Jongno is rung 33 times at midnight, and a large crowd gathers around it for hours beforehand. The subway usually runs extra trains after midnight. Dress for standing still in the cold.
How much does a December trip to Seoul cost?
Early December is one of the better-value weeks of the winter. From about the third week, prices rise towards Christmas and New Year, when rooms are dear and restaurants are full of year-end parties. Beyond the room, ₩80,000–140,000 a day covers it.
What’s the weather like in Seoul in December?
Seoul in December typically sees temperatures of -3–4°C with around 4 days of rain across the period. Pack warm layers, a waterproof coat, and sturdy shoes — days stay chilly.