South Korea Public Holidays 2027
South Korea's official 2027 calendar has seven substitute holidays. Seollal runs from Saturday 6 to Tuesday 9 February and Chuseok from Tuesday 14 to Thursday 16 September.
Last updated: 8 November 2026
| Date (2027) | Holiday | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 1 Jan | New Year's Day | |
| Sat 6 – Mon 8 Feb | Seollal (Lunar New Year) | Eve, Seollal (7 Feb) and the day after |
| Tue 9 Feb | Substitute holiday (Seollal) | Because 7 February is a Sunday |
| Mon 1 Mar | Independence Movement Day | |
| Sat 1 May | Labour Day | Listed as a public holiday in the 2027 calendar |
| Mon 3 May | Substitute holiday (Labour Day) | |
| Wed 5 May | Children's Day | |
| Thu 13 May | Buddha's Birthday | |
| Sun 6 Jun | Memorial Day | Falls on a Sunday; no substitute day |
| Sat 17 Jul | Constitution Day | |
| Mon 19 Jul | Substitute holiday (Constitution Day) | |
| Sun 15 Aug | Liberation Day | |
| Mon 16 Aug | Substitute holiday (Liberation Day) | |
| Tue 14 – Thu 16 Sep | Chuseok | Day before, Chuseok (15 Sep) and day after |
| Sun 3 Oct | National Foundation Day | |
| Mon 4 Oct | Substitute holiday (Foundation Day) | |
| Sat 9 Oct | Hangeul Day | |
| Mon 11 Oct | Substitute holiday (Hangeul Day) | |
| Sat 25 Dec | Christmas Day | |
| Mon 27 Dec | Substitute holiday (Christmas) |
How Korean holidays work
Korea's public holidays come from the Regulation on Public Holidays of Government Offices, and the dates are published each June in the official almanac (월력요항) prepared with the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute. Seollal and Chuseok follow the lunar calendar and last three days each. Since recent reforms, a holiday that falls on a weekend is usually followed by a substitute day — but Memorial Day (6 June) is excluded, so in 2027 it simply falls on a Sunday.
Seollal is one day later in Korea than in China in 2027: the new moon arrives just after midnight Korean time, so Lunar New Year's Day is Sunday 7 February in Seoul and Saturday 6 February in Beijing and Hong Kong.
Travel tips for 2027
During Seollal and Chuseok, highways and KTX trains out of Seoul sell out, while the capital itself is quiet and many palaces stay open. Expect family-run restaurants and markets to close for a day or two.
Long weekends in South Korea in 2027
- Fri 1 – Sun 3 Jan: 3 days off
- Sat 6 – Tue 9 Feb: 4 days off
- Sat 27 Feb – Mon 1 Mar: 3 days off
- Sat 1 – Mon 3 May: 3 days off
- Sat 17 – Mon 19 Jul: 3 days off
- Sat 14 – Mon 16 Aug: 3 days off
- Tue 14 – Thu 16 Sep: 3 days off
- Sat 2 – Mon 4 Oct: 3 days off
- Sat 9 – Mon 11 Oct: 3 days off
- Sat 25 – Mon 27 Dec: 3 days off
Best bridge days
- Take Friday 14 May off after Thu 13 May → 4 days off (Thu 13 – Sun 16 May)
- Take Monday 13 Sep off before Tue 14 Sep → 6 days off (Sat 11 – Thu 16 Sep)
- Take Friday 17 Sep off after Thu 16 Sep → 6 days off (Tue 14 – Sun 19 Sep)
Calculated from the national holidays above with a Saturday–Sunday weekend; regional holidays and company rules can add days.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Seollal 2027?
- Seollal is Sunday 7 February 2027; the holiday runs from 6 to 8 February with a substitute day on Tuesday 9 February.
- When is Chuseok 2027?
- Wednesday 15 September 2027, with holidays from 14 to 16 September.
- Is Memorial Day 2027 a day off?
- It falls on Sunday 6 June, and Memorial Day does not get a substitute holiday.
Sources: Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute – 2027 calendar data (official) · Korea Tourism Organization