This page is designed to give you a good idea on what to expect in a normal calendar year. While Korea has officially used several calendars in the past, including Islamic and lunar, the type most used today is the Gregorian solar calendar. Many people used to know both their solar and lunar birthdays, but as generations change people more and more only know, and only celebrate, their solar calendar birthday. Several national holidays are held according to their date on the lunar calendar. This includes Solnal, Buddha's Birthday, and Chuseok. Lunar and solar dates will differ annually so dates for this year are not written below. As this duality of calendar systems exists, certain lunar days are written on calendars in a smaller font size. There are also 24 additional terms on calendars which are to indicate weather, for example 소한 (小寒, sohan) for milder winter weather and 대한 (大寒, daehan) for the coldest days in winter.

Sundays and the dates of national holidays (국경일, 國慶日, gukgyeongil) are written in red. If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, politicians sometimes move the holiday to a weekday (대체휴일, 代替休日, daechehyuil) so workers can get the day off, but don't count on this happening. Nicknamed "red days", these holidays close businesses, schools, banks, and some restaurants. Election days are also holidays with the aim to get higher voting turnout. The list of holidays and national holidays below is mixed, so we'll put all public holidays, i.e., work holidays, in red to mimic calendars you'll see.

Some days are also seen as better than others. These “lucky days” (길일, 吉日, giril) are popular days for weddings, moving, or other large events. Trying to book a location or certain services on these days will cost more simply due to supply and demand. The most popular moving days are “days without a guest” (손 없는 날, son eomneun nal) as superstitious people believe these are days that ghosts (guests) won’t follow them to their new residence.

In some languages, English included, each month has a name, i.e., January, February, March, etc. In the Korean language each month is a number followed by the word for "month" (월, 月, wol), i.e., 1월, 2월, 3월. We will show both formats on this page.

1월 - January

As the fiscal year is the calendar year at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), budgets get refreshed from this month. For employees for IBS, your benefit card will get refilled as well but is usually delayed a few weeks to a month. January is still the middle of the winter and some of the coldest days in winter.

1 - New Year's Day A common image you'll see from this public holiday is people standing along the east coast to see the first sunrise of the year. One of the most popular towns visited is Jeongdongjin (정동진) near Gangneung which part of the 2018 Winter Olympics were held. A phrase you might hear or see written in new year’s greetings is 새해 복 많이 받으세요 (새해 福 많이 받으세요, saehae bong mani badeuseyo) which literally translates as “I wish you prosperity in the new year.” This phrase can be used at both lunar and solar New Year’s Day.

Year-end Tax Settlement 연말정산 (年末精算, yeonmaljeongsan) sometimes called the Year-end Tax Adjustment, tax season starts in mid-January and ends mid-February, around the 20th of each month. Specific dates for filing change slightly year to year. The process can be completed online.

2월 - February

The weather is still quite cold. Be careful of ice and your city might get some snow.

Lunar New Year 설날 (Seollal) is a three day holiday and is timed on the lunar calendar; specifically the last day of December and the first two days of January. This is some of the worst traffic conditions of the year as roughly 25% of the overall population travel to be with relatives. Bus, train, and airplane tickets sell out several months ahead of time so try to buy them as early as you can. Married people usually spend a day or two with one set of in-laws and then another day or two with the other set of in-laws. The primary day in this holiday is the middle day. Many restaurants and grocery stores are closed for the middle of the three days, so make sure you have enough food to get you through the holiday. Case in point, even restaurants across the street from 2018 Winter Olympic venues closed. If one of three days falls on a weekend, don't expect to get it back. If two out of three days falls on a weekend, there is a good chance the government will shift the holiday so people can get more days off. A phrase you might hear or see written in new year’s greetings is 새해 복 많이 받으세요 (새해 福 많이 받으세요, saehae bong mani badeuseyo) which literally translates as “I wish you prosperity in the new year.” This phrase can be used at both lunar and solar New Year’s Day.

14 - Valentine’s Day In Korea this day is celebrated with women giving chocolate to men. Not fair? Don't worry, as men are expected to give chocolate to women next month. This is not a requirement at the workplace but a few people might bring in some candy to share.

3월 - March

The weather is still cold but is warming up a bit in southern cities. Still expect weather to be cold in northing cities, such as Seoul. March is the start of the academic year for students. Before the semester starts is a common moving season as parents wish for the stress and distraction of the move to happen when school is not in session. If you enjoy strawberries this is your chance to eat them as they come back for a few months starting in March.

1 - Independence Movement Day 삼일절 (三一節, Samiljeol) is literally "three + one + anniversary" and is a holiday to commemorate the resistance which occurred on March 1, 1919. This is a very patriotic holiday so expect to see a lot of Korean flags and historical movies on TV.

14 - White Day This is the day that men give chocolate to women. Just like Valentine’s Day in February, this is not required for a workplace to partake in.

4월 - April

Winter is ending and spring is breaking through the cold. Cherry blossoms (벚꽃, beotkkot, i.e., sakura) are briefly in bloom and people flock outdoors to take pictures and walks. It can be difficult to know when they'll bloom as it depends on the weather. Warmer cities, i.e., southern cities, will blossom first and they'll spread north. Ask around to know when they'll be best to view and what places have the best locations in your city as popular spots are well known.

Spring weather is perfect for weddings, so April and May are some of the most popular wedding months. The most desirable wedding halls and religious sites will be booked far ahead of time.

At the end of April or beginning of May, various flowers and pine trees will be giving off a lot of pollen. If you have allergies, maybe make sure you have nasal rinse or see an ear, nose, and throat specialist (이비인 후과, 耳鼻咽喉科, ibiin hugwa) if need be. Even if you aren't sensitive to pollen, you should consider closing windows when you aren't home as some pollen is yellow and rather thick. When that type of pollen spreads, it is visible on cars and can be visible inside your home if the wind brings it in. For more specific spring-related information, check out the spring page.

14 - Black Day 블랙데이 is a phonetic spelling and is "celebrated" by single people who didn't get chocolate on Valentine’s Day or White Day. In theory they will eat the black colored sweet jajangmyeon noodles (자장면, 炸醬麵) in a Chinese restaurant, but in reality this doesn't really occur. This is more of a junior high or high school student thing, and most singles don't participate. If you get some delivered to your home, make sure you leave the bowl outside your front door as someone will come by later to pick it up.

5월 - May

The spring is here and this is some of the most pleasant temperatures of the year. May is the festival month and many cities will hold festivals overlapping with each other as they try to draw people to their city. If you want to travel and attend a festival, this is the time.

Buddha's Birthday 석가탄신일 (釋迦誕辰日, Seokgatansinil), or 부처님 오신 날 (Bucheonim osin nal) meaning "the day when the Buddha came", is on the 8th day of the 4th month in the lunar calendar, meaning it can be held anywhere from the end of April to the end of May. The month preceding the holiday is marked by colored paper lotus lanterns hanging in rows in public spaces and significant numbers near and in Buddhist temples. Many of these temples give free food, typically bibimbap, and tea to visitors. The Lotus Lantern Festival (연등회, 燃燈會, Yeondeunghoe) is also held at this time. Roughly a week or two before the holiday, Cheonggyecheon Stream in Seoul has a number of large decorative lanterns in exhibition above the water. The temples Jogyesa and Bongeunsa organize a large street lantern parade over several streets in Jongno, which is closed to cars for a few hours. The multilingual website Yeon Deung Hoe has specific information.

1 - Labor Day 근로자의 날 (勤勞者의 날, Geullojaui nal) is a partial holiday that has changed over the years and is still a bit confusing for who gets the day off and who needs to work. The short answer is government employees must still go to work. This means post offices, public schools, government ministries, and local government offices are open. However, the definition of "government employees" is a bit unclear, so some national universities are closed while others are open. Note: The national universities that the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) has Centers at are Seoul National University and Pusan National University. Banks are closed as are many preschools. Hospitals get to decide by themselves whether they are officially open or closed. IBS headquarters is closed. If you work at an IBS Campus or Extramural Center, please check with your admin staff to see if you have this day off.

5 - Children's Day 어린이날 (Eorininal) is a holiday to celebrate the youth, especially children and their part in society. This is a common day to eat out as a family or take kids to a park or museum. Some kids will get presents from their parents as well or in place of going out to eat.

8 - Parent's Day 어버이날 (Eobeoinal) is a holiday but not a public holiday which means we still need to work. Mothers and fathers are honored together on this day, but they still go to work.

15 - Teacher’s Day 교사의 날 (敎師의 날, Gyosaui nal) is a holiday of sorts but is difficult to celebrate without a day off and without presents. Usually parents would send gifts to the teachers of their children, but after the 2015 Improper Solicitation and Graft Act (부정청탁 및 금품등 수수의 금지에 관한 법률, 不正請託 및 金品等 收受의 禁止에 관한 法律, Bujeongcheongtang min geumpumdeung susuui geumjie gwanhan beomnyulofficial English translation of law, Wikipedia page) came into force in 2016 limiting the value of gifts to avoid potential bribery, gifts are rarely given and are sometimes returned to the parents depending on the attitude of the school administration. The bill received bipartisan support and a Gallup poll in 2016 showed 71% of the population to be in support of the bill. The academic year follows the calendar year, meaning a new school year just started and parents, teachers, and students are all figuring out how this new school year will go. This has led to some debate about moving the non-holiday holiday to February, in which the school year is ending, grades have been submitted and finalized rendering bribes meaningless, and parents can thank teachers for their hard work. If you wish to give something to the teacher of your child, a nice letter is appropriate.

6월 - June

Summer is starting so temperature and humidity are both rising and university students are going on vacation. In summer, it can be easy to neglect getting enough nutrients to properly sustain ourselves, especially in the “dog days of summer” (Wikipedia). The dates vary from year to year, but usually twice in June and once in July, large numbers of the population flock to consume chicken soup with ginseng (삼계탕, 蔘鷄湯, samgyetang) or eel (장어, 長魚, jangeo) as these stamina foods give people more energy. The general term for these days is 복날 (伏날, bongnal) or 삼복 (三伏, sambok) which are divided into 초복 (初伏, chobok), 중복 (中伏, jungbok), and 말복 (末伏, malbok). The names of these three days are frequently written on calendars in small font. Restaurants that sell one of these dishes do incredible business as lines sometimes go out the door.

Make sure you keep yourself well hydrated and cool in these hot months. For more summer-related information, check out the summer page.

6 - Memorial Day 현충일 (顯忠日, Hyeonchungil) is to commemorate those in the military who died while in service to Korea. Since 1956, a ceremony is held in Seoul National Cemetery at 10 AM. A siren rings and the flag is at half-mast.

25 - Korean War Anniversary Frequently written as 6.25전쟁 (六二五戰爭, Yugio jeonjaeng) which means the June 25th War, is not a holiday but is a solemn occasion as people remember the start of the Korean War on this date in 1950. The armistice was signed on July 27, 1953 but technically the war never ended as no peace treaty was signed. The war forever changed the peninsula and continue to effect a number of things today. Depending upon the political climate, the two nations sometimes arrange meetings of separated families on this day. If you want more information on the war, you should consider reading the related Wikipedia page as it is extensive.

7월 - July

We are now in the middle of summer and the weather is quite hot and humid. The last week or two of July are big vacation weeks. Elementary, middle, and high school students go on vacation. Much of the country goes on holiday, meaning traffic is congested and transportation tickets are in short supply as are hotel rooms. Timing sometimes means the first week of August is also used by a number of people as their summer vacation. This peak season (성수기, 盛需期, seongsugi) frequently matches public school holidays as students and their parents are off at the same time.

8월 - August

A lot of people are on holiday the first week on August. Late August or the first week in September is when university students go back to classes for the start of their second semester. The weather is still quite hot but starting to cool down at the end of the month. Cicadas (매미, maemi) come out and make a bunch of noise in August ~ September. If you are unfamiliar with these bugs, check out the related page on Wikipedia.

15 - National Liberation Day of Korea This holiday is celebrated in both Koreas with the South calling the day 광복절 (光復節, Gwangbokjeol) and the North calling it 조국해방의 날 (祖國解放의 날, Jogukhaebangui Nal). This day coincides with the end of World War II as it was also the end of occupation of the peninsula. The holiday is political and the president makes a speech on TV recounting the occupation. Many Korean flags are posted on light posts and on apartments. This is the only public holiday celebrated by both Koreas.

9월 - September

Weather is beginning to cool down and the hum of air conditioners is lessening. The annual rice harvest occurs in September or October. Unlike some other Asian countries, in Korea this occurs only once in autumn around Chuseok. The freshest produce straight from the farm is called 햇___ and will be marked as such. The freshest rice is spelled slightly differently; 햅쌀 (haepssal) and this is usually seen on a sticker added to the outside of a bag of rice. The inland city of Icheon (이천시, 利川市) is famous for rice and pottery and should not to be confused with the coastal city of Incheon, famous for the large airport near Seoul. Rice from Icheon is marked with 이천 쌀 (利川 쌀, Icheon ssal) and is so popular that businesses from other areas sometimes try to confuse buyers into purchasing theirs instead. If you want to speed up your rice preparation process, you can buy rice where the outside has been “polished” (도정일자, 搗精日字, dojeongilja).

Chuseok 추석 (秋夕), also called Korean Thanksgiving in American English, is a harvest holiday spent with family celebrated on the 14th, 15th, and 16th days of the 8th month of the lunar calendar on the full moon around the time of autumn equinox. This three day holiday is a major holiday where people head back to their ancestral hometowns and/or the husband's parents' home. Many gravesites are visited, cleaned, and worship/respect rituals are performed either at the gravesites or at home. Along with the lunar New Year, this is the most congested roads will be during the year as a significant number of people are traveling. The first day and last day are the busiest, and just like the other holiday, stock up on food as a lot of eateries will be closed one or more days. If people wear hanbok (traditional clothing) this holiday and weddings are when they will wear it. Many businesses will give a gift to employees for this holiday but has started to become limited due to the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act mentioned previously. The most common gifts are cooking ingredients and Spam (BBC News story and video) and grocery stores and post offices have many gift sets to choose from. It is not possible to adequately explain the holiday and all related details, games, and special foods in a paragraph. Therefore, if you want more information you should consider reading the related Wikipedia page.

10월 - October

The heat from summer is gone and autumn is fully here. This is the second most common wedding month as the weather is much more comfortable than a few months prior.

3 - National Foundation Day 개천절 (開天節, Gaecheonjeol) is a holiday celebrating the foundation of the Korean state of Gojoseon in 2333 BCE. The holiday used to be held on the 3rd day of the 10th month on the lunar calendar, but changed in 1949 to October 3rd of the Gregorian calendar. While this is celebrated in both Koreas, it is only a public holiday in South Korea.

9 - Hangul Day 한글날 (Hangeullal) is held to commemorative King Sejong's invention and proclamation of Hangul. On the 563rd anniversary (2009) a 6.2 meter statue of Sejong was unveiled in Gwanghwamun Plaza in Seoul in close distance to Gyeongbok Palace and the presidential Blue House. The date of the holiday has shifted several times in the past and gone back and forth from public holiday to holiday and back again. In 2013, the president declared it to again be a national holiday. North Korea also celebrates creation of the alphabet but on January 15 and under the name Chosŏn'gŭl Day (조선글날, Joseongeullal).

31 - Halloween 할로윈 isn't an event in Korea outside of some kindergartens, Itaewon, and some expat bars or restaurants. People have a general idea about the day but it is mainly celebrated by college students and kindergarten students. Costumes and specialty candy are still very difficult to find but this is gradually changing.

11월 - November

No national holidays exist in the month but there are a few dates worth mentioning. Also the remaining value of the benefits card will be returned to IBS if not used in full. Keep an eye out for when the cards can no longer be used. Usage stops this month to allow more time for settlement of accounts. Make sure you keep yourself warm in these colder months. For more specific winter-related information, check out the winter page.

11 - Pepero Day While not close to a public holiday, this chocolate holiday is to sell Pepero (빼빼로). The chocolate sticks look like 1s and four in a row resemble 11/11, hence the day was selected. You'll see chocolate sticks, plush toys, and other chocolates for sale, primarily at convenience stores as that is where most students will pick up some snacks to give as presents and eat together with friends.

21 - Institute for Basic Science Foundation Day 연구원 창립 기념일 (연구員 創立 紀念日, yeonguwon changnim ginyeomil) can be directly translated as "institute foundation day" and is a private holiday for those employed at the relevant institution. The Institute for Basic Science (IBS) was founded on this day in 2011. Like other government-funded research groups in Korea, this is a holiday for IBS employees.

College Scholastic Ability Test 수학 능력 시험 (修學 能力 試驗, suhang neungnyeong siheom) or more commonly called suneung (수능, 修能) is the university entrance exam. The testing takes place this month and only this month as the test is only once a year. Students that take the test again are referred to as 재수생 (再修生, jaesusaeng) and test takers in general are referred to as 수험생 (受驗生, suheomsaeng). The test begins at 8:40 AM and finishes at 5:40 PM. The results of this test determine what university students can enter, which determines which jobs are available for them, which also determines other significant aspects of their lives years later. Most offices tell their staff to arrive one hour later so the streets are open for students to easily go to their testing locations without traffic. If students arrive at their testing center late, they are denied entry and must wait one more year until the next exams are held. In rare cases, a student might call the police and get a police escort to avoid being late. Younger students and families often gather by the gates of the school to cheer on the test takers. Family members, especially parents flock to religious services in the months prior in hopes of good results. Airplanes don’t fly for the listening section so all students can clearly hear the audio. To deter cheating, the creators of the test for that year are locked in a facility in isolation from the outside world and can only leave once the test has been administered. In 2017, when a 5.4 earthquake shook the city of Pohang, the test was nationally delayed to avoid those who in the area from being unfairly disadvantaged (Wikipedia page on the earthquake). If you visit certain high school classrooms you'll find a countdown to the exam date written as D-#. For more information on this entrance exam, you should consider reading the related Wikipedia page.

Gimjang 김장, sometimes Romanized as kimjang, is when families make large quantities of kimchi together to ferment through the winter. Kimchi making season usually takes place in November but sometimes occurs in early December as well. The process is labor intensive and involves vast numbers of cabbage and the related ingredients. Families usually make it together and can easily spend an entire day or two preparing a year’s worth of this side dish. As people are becoming more independent, more busy with work and life in general, and in years in which the price of cabbage goes up, it can be easier and sometimes cheaper to purchase premade kimchi in a grocery store rather than dedicate the time and effort to making it. If the home where kimchee is normal made has a small child or an infact, the family might make it elsewhere as the air can be spicy, for example rent a table on a farm which can also sell the raw ingredients. To read more about gimjang, check out the related-pages on Korea.net, Michelin Guide, and Wikipedia or simply do an internet search for "gimjang".

12월 - December

The end of the calendar year means research budgets are tight and final expenses are used up. IBS Conferences are completed, journals are wrapping things up, press releases are done for the year, and people are getting ready to go on holiday. The year slows down a bit in time for Christmas and the New Year's holidays.

25 - Christmas 크리스마스, which is the phonetic spelling of Christmas, is more of a couple's holiday and a shopping holiday instead of a family event. If you are expecting extravagant holiday decorations you will be disappointed as things are more muted than in Europe or North America but are slowly getting bigger than years past. To see decorations or hear holiday music, head to busy shopping areas and keep an eye out for photo zones. Christmas is not a true Korean holiday, so Christmas is what you make of it. Make sure to get out and spend time with friends and do something special. If you are used to a large celebratory holiday, be careful not to isolate yourself as being alone while living overseas can be more depressing than you expect, especially if you are used to being with people. Make sure you have some plans.

31 - New Year's Eve While not technically a holiday, many people take this day or a half day off to get a head start on the holiday and beat the traffic. However, many people share this same thought so the traffic can get pretty bad. If you plan to travel, make sure you get tickets far ahead of time. Also, check with your management to see if there is a New Year's Eve dinner (신년 전야 만찬 행사, 新年 前夜 晩餐 前夜, sinnyeon jeonya manchan haengsa) as sometimes they get planned.