Update 10/23/2023: Updated event, ‘RENT’ open concert.
October is our favorite month in Korea. We’ve landed straight into fall with the perfect conditions for light layers or sweaters. There are lots of festivals and events going on throughout the country, so let’s get to it!
TEMPERATURE
Summer is long gone with temperatures between 24°C (75°F) ~ 21°C (70°F) during the day and a chilly 13°C (55°F) ~ 10°C (50°F) at night. It’s the perfect time to enjoy lunch on a patio, coffee in a garden or simply take a stroll through the park to enjoy the beautiful autumn foliage. If you’re going to be out all day, make sure to keep a light sweater or jacket with you for the night.
WHAT TO WEAR
October is full-on autumn with the occasional warm day or night. It’s time to break out those light layers and your favorite autumn sweaters. You will see a lot of mix and match going on, like shorts and skirts with sweaters or thicker pants with t-shirts and a cardigan. The temperatures will consistently fluctuate as you move between indoors and outdoors so layers are always the best option.
EVENTS
Royal Culture Festival
When: October 14 – 18
Where: Multiple venues
The Royal Culture festival is held at each of the main Royal Palaces, Jongmyo Shrine, and Sajikdan Altar. There are musical performances, dances and cultural events at each location celebrating the history of the Seoul.
‘RENT’ Musical Open Concert
When: October 30 (Monday), 6:30 PM
Where: Starfield Mall COEX, B2 Live Plaza
The cast of ‘RENT’ will be performing a special open concert at the COEX mall on October 30 (official site). The special free performance will be performed at the Live Plaza which is located on B2. This is a special preview as the tickets for the actual musical haven’t even gone on sale yet! Whether you’re a fan of the musical or just a fan of free concerts, it’s definitely worth checking out.
Hangang Drone Light Show
When: September 08 ~ October 27, 2023 (Fridays, 7 PM)
Where: Ttukseom Hangang Park (139 Gangbyeonbuk-ro)
The Hangang Drone Light Show (official site) will take place every Friday until October 27th at the Ttukseom Hangang Park. There’ll be up to 1,000 drones lighting up the sky with musical accompaniments. The show itself is only about 10 minutes, but depending on the day there are some cultural arts performances which begin around 7:00 PM and lead up to the main event.
Seoul International Fireworks Festival
When: October 7, 7 PM
Where: Yeouinaru Park (330 Yeouidong-ro,)
Every autumn, Yeoido hosts the Seoul International Fireworks Festival. This year, China and Poland will be participating along with Korea. This year’s theme is “Lights of Tomorrow” with each country preparing their own fireworks routine for the festival.
The Chinese team will start at 7:20 PM followed by the Polish team at 7:40 PM and finally the Korean team at 8:00 PM. There is ticketed seating, but the fireworks will be visible outside the venue as well.
If you want tickets to the event itself, KLOOK is your best bet as it is one of the only sites that is still actively selling tickets. Use LEXI5OFF for 5% off your order.
Seoul Outdoor Library
When: Every weekend until November 12th
Where: Seoul Plaza (Taepyeongro 2-ga 17-3)
The Seoul Outdoor Library in Seoul Plaza (official site) will run through the month of October and until November 12th. Seoul Plaza will be filled with bean bag chairs and parasols for any visitors who want to get a bit of outdoor reading done. Or, you know, just chill. Keep an eye on weather reports because the event will be cancelled if it rains.
Gyeongbokgung Night Tour
When: September 1 – October 29, 2023 (7:00pm – 9:30pm)
Where: Gyeongbokgung Palace (161 Sajik-ro)
October is the last chance to check out the Gyeongbokgung Night Tour until the next season. It’s a unique opportunity to walk the palace grounds by moonlight and even get some really cool photos. The sun sets by 6.30 PM every night, so it’ll be chilly before anyone gets in. Be sure to dress accordingly. For more tips on when to visit and how to get tickets, check out our Gyeongbokgung blog post.
2023 Hangang Moonlight Market
When: September 16 ~ October 22, 2023 (weekends, 5:00PM–10:00PM)
Where: Yeouido Hangang Park
The Hangang Moonlight Market (official site) is back for its autumn run. This’ll be the last time to catch it this year. The market has shops full of handmade goods, tarot card readers and caricature artists. Most importantly there will be about 40 trucks selling all sorts of tasty street-style foods. For more information, check out our blog post.
Dark Moon Festival at Lotte World
When: September 1 ~ October 22, 2023
Where: Lotte World
Instead of a full, all-out Halloween event this year, Lotte World has their Dark Moon festival which is great news for fans of ENHYPHEN. For a limited time, the park will be taken over by their webtoon, Dark Moon. There are parades, performances, special photo zones and of course exclusive merch. You can also get special photo cards and sticker tattoos with the purchase of the Dark Moon Package (link).
If you’re looking for something a bit more “Halloween-y,” there’s also a special haunted house on Adventure Island that’ll be running until November 12. Tickets can’t be reserved ahead of time and must be purchased day-of at the ticket office on Adventure Island.
