A Guide to Winter in Korea: What to Expect and How to Prepare

If you’re thinking of a trip to Korea, you most likely have some destinations in mind already. However, every season is different. How should you prepare, and what should you expect in winter in Korea? Get your packing lists ready! Here is your Korean travel guide to the winter season in Korea.

Winter months in Korea last from December to February. The coldest month tends to be January. The weather is very cold and dry. The average high for winter in Korea is 5 ℃ (41℉), and the average low is -5.5 ℃ (22 ℉). However, winter temperatures in South Korea often drop to -10 ℃ (14℉) and sometimes as low as -15 ℃ (5 ℉).

To prepare for the harsh Korean winter temperature, you should definitely pack a winter coat. Long black puffer jackets are a popular winter outfit in Korea. If you prefer to wear more color, you will not be the only one with this winter wear in Korea. Winter accessories such as hats, scarves, and gloves will also be useful. Don't worry if you don't have any gloves. You can always buy a hot pack and keep them in your pockets to stay warm during the low winter in Korea temperatures.

Central heating systems and fireplaces aren’t very common in modern Korean homes. Instead, most people used an “ondol” heating system. While traditional ondols were heated using wood and smoke, modern ondols heat water pipes that lay beneath the floor of a room. This then heats the floor as well as the rest of the room during winter in South Korea.

It can take a bit to warm up. So, you should bring some slippers to keep your feet warm while it heats up. If your Korea in winter trip is long-term, you could even buy a cute rug to go near your bed or front door. Once it is warm, it will stay warm for a while, even after you turn it off during the winter season in South Korea.

Heading to the jjimjilbang is a perfect way to stay warm during the icy  winter months in South Korea. A jjimjilbang is a Korean-style spa. Here you can soak in the baths or sweat in the sauna. You can also enjoy popular spa snacks like sikhye and spa eggs.

Surprisingly, strawberry picking is a fairly popular winter in Korea activity. Strawberry season in Korea begins in December and lasts all the way until midsummer. So, the entire winter season is a great time for strawberry picking. You can read more about strawberry fruit-picking activities in this blog!

If you’re a sporty person who loves to stay active, even in the cold, you should go skiing or sledding while in Korea. There are plenty of ski resorts in Korea, so you have a lot of options to choose from. Also, sledding is a popular activity for both children and adults. Sled down one of the many slopes Korea has will definitely get you in the winter in Korea 2022 spirit!

Hotteok and Bungeobbang are popular winter snack foods. Hotteok is a kind of sweet, filled pancake. It is typically filled with sweet ingredients such as honey, cinnamon, peanuts, or sesame seeds. 

Bungeo-bbang is a fish-shaped pastry and is most commonly filled with red bean paste. Shu cream is another common filling. Bungeo-bbang also has an ice cream version perfect for the summer! Read more about the fish ice cream Korean treat here.

Now you are ready for winter in Korea! Have you decided what cities you'll visit yet? You should check out our travel guides for Busan and Daegu!