Korean public holidays 2027: full list of dates, substitute days and what closes
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Korea has two kinds of public holiday: fixed dates on the solar calendar, and three that follow the lunar calendar and so move every year. If you are planning a trip, a move or a business visit in 2027, these are the dates to know, and the two big ones, Seollal and Chuseok, are the dates that change how the whole country travels.
The 2027 list
- 1 January (Fri): New Year's Day
- 6 to 9 February (Sat to Tue): Seollal, Lunar New Year. Seollal itself falls on Sunday 7 February, so the holiday is the 6th, 7th and 8th, and Tuesday 9 February is a substitute day.
- 1 March (Mon): Independence Movement Day
- 1 May (Sat): Labour Day. Calendars list Monday 3 May as a substitute day, but reports differ on whether one applies to Labour Day, so check closer to the date
- 5 May (Wed): Children's Day
- 13 May (Thu): Buddha's Birthday
- 6 June (Sun): Memorial Day
- 17 July (Sat): Constitution Day, with Monday 19 July as the substitute day
- 15 August (Sun): Liberation Day, with Monday 16 August as the substitute day
- 14 to 16 September (Tue to Thu): Chuseok, the harvest festival. Chuseok itself is Wednesday 15 September, and no substitute day applies.
- 3 October (Sun): National Foundation Day, with Monday 4 October as the substitute day
- 9 October (Sat): Hangul Day, with Monday 11 October as the substitute day
- 25 December (Sat): Christmas Day, with Monday 27 December as the substitute day
Labour Day and Constitution Day were made public holidays in 2026, so 2027 is their first full year on the list. Older calendars and apps may not show them yet.
How substitute holidays work
When a holiday lands on a weekend, a weekday off is often added, usually the following Monday. The rules differ by holiday: for Seollal and Chuseok a substitute day is added only when the holiday period overlaps a Sunday or another holiday, which is why Seollal 2027 gets one and Chuseok 2027 does not. Memorial Day has no substitute, so 6 June simply falls on a Sunday. The government confirms the calendar each year, and very occasionally adds a one-off "temporary holiday", so check close to the date.
What closes
- Seollal and Chuseok are the big ones. Banks, government offices and post offices close for the whole period. Many neighbourhood restaurants and traditional markets close too, especially away from tourist districts, and small clinics shut.
- Large department stores usually close on part of the period; the exact days are announced each year.
- Still open: convenience stores, most cinemas, coffee chains, fast food, hotel restaurants, hospital emergency rooms, and many palaces and museums (though some close on the day itself, so check).
- Single-day holidays change much less. Shops and restaurants mostly open; banks and offices close.
Travel tips
- Book trains and buses early for Seollal and Chuseok. Millions of people travel to their home towns at once, and KTX seats sell out fast when booking opens. Expressways are badly jammed on the first and last days.
- Seoul is pleasantly quiet in the middle of Seollal and Chuseok, because many residents have left. It is a good time for a city break if you avoid the travel days.
- Flights out of Korea are expensive around both festivals and around long weekends such as May and early October. Compare prices a week either side.
- Carry some cash and plan meals if you are staying somewhere residential over Seollal or Chuseok.
- Palaces often hold traditional events during the two festivals, with games and performances.
Where to check
The official calendar is published by the government each year, and the Korea Tourism Organization's VisitKorea site lists holiday opening times for major attractions. Confirm any date before booking something you cannot change.
Planning around one of these dates, or caught out by a closure? Share it in the comments so the next reader knows.