Things to Do in Korea in July, 2025

July is one of the hottest months in Korea as the full force of the summer heat hits the country and we start to get weeks of heatwaves. It is also one of the wettest seasons in Korea thanks to the barrage of monsoons and summer storms that come in.

But, it’s also the summer music festival season with the WATERBOMB Festival and SBS GAYO DAEJEON along with cool events like the Squid Games pop-up in Gwanghwamun Square. And now, without further ado, let’s get into our tips for July in Korea.

The Weather

July is one of the hottest months in Korea. That means the temperature can spike as high as 31^oC (87.8^oF), but it’ll feel much higher due to the humidity. At night, we’ll be hitting “cooler” temperatures as low as 22^oC (72^oF), but again the humidity will push it three or four degrees higher usually creating tropical nights.

The weather will be generally unpredictable as Korea is famous for “sonagi,” or sudden summer rains that come out of nowhere. Keep an umbrella handy and make sure you check your phone often for weather warnings.

Monsoon Season

This year, monsoon season started on June 19 and is expected to last through to the end of July. Officially, monsoon season is expected to last 29 days with 21 of those days being drenched in rain. And, of course, along with heavy rainfall comes high humidity, occasional thunderstorms and localized flooding.

Be sure to avoid low-lying underpasses, riverside parks, or stream paths like Cheonggyecheon during heavy rain. While umbrellas are a necessity if you’re traveling through Korea this summer, keep in mind that strong winds routinely break and shred umbrellas, so it’s best to avoid walking around for long periods of time.

What to Wear

It’s best to keep things light, waterproof, and comfortable. Waterproof jackets or ponchos are breathable and lightweight for humid days. Quick-drying clothes like athletic wear or synthetics are way better than soggy jeans or cotton. Waterproof sneakers, rubber-soled shoes, crocks or rain boots will save you from slipping on wet sidewalks, and a compact, STURDY umbrella will basically be your new best friend. If you’re carrying a bag, toss in a waterproof pouch for your phone and electronics—rain here doesn’t mess around.

EVENTS

Seoul Waterbomb Festival

When: July 4 – 6, 2025
Where: KINTEX Outdoor Stage (Google Maps, Naver Map)

The 2025 Waterbomb lineup is official with JYP, Jay Park, 2NE1 and more headlining the event. It’s a massive music festival with enough K-pop artists that everyone’s going to have someone they’re dying to see. Tickets are still available on KLOOK, but they’ll be gone soon.

2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer

When: July 26 – 27, 2025
Where: KINTEX Exhibition Hall 1 (Google Maps, Naver Map)

The lineup for SBS’s biggest summer K-pop festival, Gayo Daejeon Summer, is up with NCT 127, Doyoung, IVE, NMIXX, NCT Dream, Enhypen, (G)I-DLE and so many more already confirmed. Tickets are up for sale now on KLOOK, but you’ll want to reserve early if you’re looking to get seats instead of standing room. Or vice-versa event.

Squid Game Pop-Up

When: June 29 – July 6, 2025
Where: Gwanghwamun Plaza (Google Maps, Naver Map)

Squid Games season 3 is officially out and to celebrate, Seoul will be hosting a Squid Games pop-up event right in the center of Gwanghwamun plaza for a week. There are lots of events, photo spots and cool things to check out. If you’re a fan of the series, or if you just want some nice photos, make sure to stop by.

Check out our post for more.

Ron Mueck at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Seoul

When: April 11 – July 13, 2025
Where: MMCA (Google Maps, Naver Map)

Ron Mueck is an Australian sculptor and while his name might not be familiar, his work certainly is. He’s known for his hyper-realistic sculptures that are often proportional to reality or, just as often, massively larger bringing minute details of the human body to life.

The exhibition is only 5,000 KRW per person or 7,000 KRW when put together with two other concurrent exhibitions being held at the MMCA in Seoul. For more details, check out our blog post.

“Villains are Destined to Die” Pop-Up Cafe

When: Until July 20th
Where: 39 World Cup-ro 10-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (Naver Map, Google Maps)

The massively popular webtoon will be hosting a cafe pop-up event complete with merch, photocards, and themed drinks at the Fantazit cafe in Mapo-gu. If you’re a fan of the webtoon or just romance fantasy in general, it’s definitely worth visiting! Check out our post on the cafe pop-up if you want to know more.

Mundo Pixar: Pixar, Into the World of Imagination

When: Until September 28, 2025
Where: 71, Gosanja-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea (Naver Map, Google Maps)
Price: Starts at 25,900 KRW

One of the biggest and best Pixar exhibits to ever visit Korea is still available until the end of the month. This exhibit takes you through the worlds of Pixar and lets you visit characters from the films. That includes Andy’s room from “Toy Story” or Carl and Ellie’s house from “Up”.

Tickets can be reserved ahead of time or you can grab tickets at the door.

Seoul International Garden Show

When: Until October 20th
Where: Boramae Park (Naver Map, Google Maps)

The Seoul International Garden show is fully underway at Boramae Park with 111 show gardens that have transformed Boramae Park into a massive urban garden. The show is also dotted with cafes, shops, and food trucks along with seating areas to enjoy the ambience.

We visited back in June when the Ditto Garden was fully underway. Unfortunately, that’s gone now, but we’ll always have the memories.

K-Food Festival Knock Knock

When: June 20 ~ December 31, 2025 (Friday to Sunday, 4 PM to 9 PM)
Where: Sejong-ro Garden (Naver Map, Google Maps)

The K-Food Festival is back by popular demand! Thanks to its massive popularity with locals and tourists, the Seoul City Government will be hosting the K-food festival in the Sejong-ro Park until the end of the year. There are food trucks serving everything from Korean pancakes to Korean hotdogs from 4 PM to 9 PM every weekend (weather willing). Check out our review for even more information and photos of the ongoing festival.

2025 Seoul Outdoor Library

When: Until October 10, 2025
Where:
- Gwanghwamun Plaza (Google Maps, Naver Map)
- Cheonggyecheon Stream (Google Maps, Naver Map)
- Seoul Plaza (Google Maps, Naver Map)

In an effort to help people disconnect and leave their phone screens behind, Seoul will once again be hosting public outdoor library spaces throughout the city. Compared to last year, they’ve really upped the ante with more events, performances, and pop-ups to explore.

There will still be bean bag chairs in Gwanghwamun Plaza as well as Seoul Plaza along with seats along the Cheonggyecheon, so feel free to bring a book or borrow one from the event and take in some fresh air and dive into a good read.

Check out their page for more info.

As an added bonus, the Seoul Outdoor Library will be open at night this year until 9 PM throughout the months of June and September.

Unfortunately, the schedule of the outdoor library is a bit inconsistent so we highly recommend you check the dates of the event online before going.

Moonlight Yoga

When: June 20 – August 7, 2025 (7:30 PM – 8:30 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays)
Where: Gwanghwamun Square (Google Maps, Naver Map)

Moonlight Yoga is back! We’ve been big fans of the event since it started two years ago and we’re not the only ones. Thanks to its growing popularity, it’s back for a third year and if it’s anything like previous events… you’ll need to make a reservation to ensure you get a spot.

If you don’t know, Moonlight Yoga is an open-air yoga session held in the heart of Gwanghwamun Square. You get to experience a guided yoga session as the sun sets in downtown Seoul. And, best of all, it’s all free.

Reservations can be made here for the English sessions.